Tayde Aburto > www.hiscec.com

Tayde Aburto, CEO, Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
You need to have the innate ability to visualize an opportunity in the market, develop the concept and to have the determination to make it happen.
An entrepreneur has to have inspiration, creativity, initiative, patience and fortitude to be able to achieve their goals and overcome obstacles they encounter along the way.

What did inspire you to start your business?
The inspiration we had to create the Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce (HISCEC) was the desire to form a business association that was focused on providing services to e-businesses and the need to establish business relationships with Hispanic business-owners across the continent.

How did you finance it?
The business has been financed by our partners. Since the beginning the decision was made to not solicit outside investors, which meant all the partners had to maintain outside employment to be able to continue to finance the project. This was something we had to do during the first couple of years in business.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Of course. We have launched the Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce to be able to contribute a small grain of sand to the growth and development of the Hispanic business community through the use of the internet and Information technology. Our family and cultural values have allowed us to achieve our planned objectives much quicker than we could have hoped. The strong sense of identity that we have motivates us to be able to offer the best we can so that we can represent with integrity the Members of the Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce who have given us their confidence to serve and represent them.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
Maintaining a positive attitude and an open mind. Analyzing problems with a relaxed mind and with an unconventional focus allows you to resolve times of crisis more quickly and efficiently.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
To communicate to the market that our intentions to serve them are genuine. Offering a free membership without cost causes some “suspicion” at the beginning. Some businesses think it is just a marketing scheme. They doubt the seriousness and real promise of support to the Hispanic business community. Now with 772 members, 517 businesses listed in the directory, the perception has changed. To further add value and to support the HISCEC community we are hosting the Hispanic Business and Technology Expo on September 10-11th at the San
Diego Convention Center. For more information about the Hispanic Business Showcase please visit http://www.hbshowcase.com/. Everyday more companies recognize our genuine promise and support to the Hispanic Business community.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
The HISCEC is constantly changing. Our business is to serve the Members of the Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce in the best way possible by offering services that contribute to the growth and development of their businesses. Having said that, the Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce is an organization that is constantly changing to be able to respond to the needs and expectations of our Members.

What was your childhood ambition?
There was a time when I wanted to be well-known executive of a large global company, and then I thought I would rather be a recognized political figure but finally I realized that what I really wanted was to have a strong feeling of success and helping others realize their success as well.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
My partners, Omar Aburto, Octavio Aburto, & German M. Bravo. Their intelligence, dedication and ambition are a great motivator for me.
I also really admire the many entrepreneurs that I meet day in day out through the Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce. Their success stories are a key motivator for me.
Of the billionaire entrepreneurs, I admire Carlos Slim. His intelligence for business and social responsibility are a great example for me.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Any of them are good for me especially when the Restaurant has good food.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I have not been able to spend as much time as I would have liked with my wife and baby. But ever since we founded the Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce we knew that we would have to invest a substantial amount of time working during the first few years to be able to position the organization. So in a sense we were mentally prepared for the challenge. As soon as we reach an optimum operation level, we will be able to spend more time with our families.

What is your favorite quotation?
“Happiness is not in the mere possession of Money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort” –Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
No, it is a part of my nature.

Biggest mistake in business made?
I have made several, but have learned from all of them. I haven’t made the same mistake twice. However one mistake I made that cost the Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce about $4,000 that could have been invested in Marketing and positioning the organization.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes. To be an innovator is one of the innate characteristics of an entrepreneur.

About the Company
The Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce (HISCEC) is an online Hispanic business association focused on promoting Hispanic businesses via the Internet and the use of e-business tools. For more information, visit http://www.hiscec.com/. HISCEC will be hosting the inaugural Hispanic Business and Technology Expo on September 10-11th at the San Diego Convention Center. For information about the Hispanic Business Expo, visit http://www.hbshowcase.com/.

Get listed in the Business Directory - http://www.hiscec.com/en/Members
- Free Business Listing. Promote your business in the Hispanic Business Directory. An online business directory, featuring free business listings (with logo of your company, link to your web site, pictures of your business, online catalog, and get customer feedback for your products or services).

Jeremy Merrin > www.havanacentral.com

Jeremy Merrin, Founder, Havana Central

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
I believe that an entrepreneur needs to be willing to take risks. Secondly, they need a good idea. An entrepreneur also needs the ability to find, motivate and retain great team members because you can’t do it all alone.

What did inspire you to start your business?
I wanted to do something on my own, to be my own boss. I found an idea that I believed was unique and that had the power to develop into a big business.

How did you finance it?
This business is mostly self-financed with some help from my family. I have had entrepreneurial successes in the past and was able to use that money to start Havana Central. Now that we have a successful track record, we are mostly borrowing money from banks.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
I am not Hispanic, but this has not inhibited my success with a Latin Food Concept based business. It was many years ago when I first connected with Latino Cuisine and Culture and it has ALWAYS been in the back of my mind. In creating Havana Central, I wanted to recreate the Latin sense of fun, celebration of life, great food, and great Latin drinks. We see the huge crossover potential in a market that includes multi-generational Hispanic Americans as well as all of us gringos.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
In my case, I have sunk a lot of my net worth into this business. I don’t have a choice. I have to succeed. When adversity hits, you grit your teeth, take a very careful look at the problem and possible solutions, speak to as many smart people as possible, and then make the best decisions you can.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
The biggest challenge is finding terrific team members to work with us.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I would like to be doing so well that I could offer my team EVERY benefit that there is. As it is, for a restaurant company, we are pretty competitive. In this economy, we have tried to balance out our bottom line and we are offering the best we can to recruit top talent.

What was your childhood ambition?
I suppose it was always assumed that I would join the family business. Also, I always wanted to be a marine biologist. Neither is very related to what I do now, except that we serve various kinds of fish.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
I admire people who have created something from nothing. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are great examples of brilliant, über-competitive people who have created entire industries. Danny Meyer, the great New York restaurateur and creator of the Union Square Café and Shake Shack, is also an incredible inspiration for me because of the way he focuses his team on employee training and quality of life. The high quality of his restaurants represents a goal that many other restaurateurs look to achieve.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Havana Central has private rooms and areas that allow for business meetings. We also have all the necessary audio and visual equipment that people need for presentations.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I have spent more time away from my family than I would have liked. In the early years I did not take many extended vacations

What is your favorite quotation?
My favorite quotation is from Albert Einstein: “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.”

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
It takes imagination to be unconventional. From the beginning, we wanted Havana Central to be a different kind of an experience. We approach our team members in a different way and we approach the guest experience in a different way. We are in a constant process of figuring out how we can deliver a better and more unique experience. For instance, when the recession began, rather than cut costs and pull back from the experience we offer, we actually hired a training team and created dishes.

Biggest mistake in business made?
I did not hire a great director of operations soon enough. That should have been one of my first hires once we got bigger. This made the early years harder financially and more stressful than they should have been.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes, I consider myself an innovator. Havana Central is a 360 degree experience without feeling like a Disney enterprise. It is a great value because it is more than just about the food. It is taking a vacation for an hour or two. I believe we are developing a corporate culture and a brand that is new and fresh and that many people will learn from. We do a tremendous amount of experimentation and learn by trial and error.

About the Company:
Havana Central (http://www.havanacentral.com/), New York City’s premier Cuban restaurant, is a treat for all five senses where the party never stops. Accommodating waiters serve heaping portions of delicious, real Cuban cuisine best enjoyed family-style while bartenders muddle mint for fresh Mojitos and bands play hot Cuban jazz. All three Havana Central locations —Times Square (151 West 46th Street), Union Square (22 East 17th Street) and the West End (2911 Broadway between 113th and 114th Streets) — evoke memories of pre-Revolution Cuba with a décor and ambience that transport patrons back to the golden era when Havana was one of the world’s swankiest playgrounds.

The brainchild of noted New York entrepreneur Jeremy Merrin, Havana Central has plans to expand its restaurant and catering businesses both in the New York Metropolitan area and nationally.

Rafael Rodas > www.tucocina.net

Rafael Rodas, Co-Founder & President, TUCOCINA.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Passion and determination are enough most days to get you excited about your business idea or about growing your company, self discipline and perseverance should pick-up the slack on the days when the going gets tough. I believe most of us have what it takes to succeed in business, but the ability to gauge and manage risk is what differentiates those who choose to pursue a career in entrepreneurship

What did inspire you to start your business?
Having an impact in the direction of our business and the chance to build and grow a company from scratch, have always seemed worthy challenges. Addressing a void in the cookware and household product markets with superior-quality, specialty kitchenware and products for the fast-growing Hispanic segment is a very exciting business prospect. The intersection of these challenges and business prospect, and the opportunity to stay connected to Latin cuisine, such a central part of Latino culture, made it so compelling, it inspired me to pursue it.

How did you finance it?
Commercial debt and a combination of personal funds and bootstrapping, giving the business breathing room to grow, a great deal of which has been possible thanks to my wife's unyielding support

Being Hispanic… Does it have any influence on your business?
I am convinced that what makes Latin cuisine an essential part of our culture are the traditions that bring family and friends together. We are committed to complementing the cooking experience of Latin food lovers with high-quality products for everyday use. Being Hispanic provides a personal dimension to the way we approach our business, from product development to customer service, we are always inspired by the traditions we look to preserve

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
Always try to keep an eye on the "big picture". Having the ability and the discipline to look at current events in the context of the long-term business objectives is an effective way to understand what is happening right now. Evaluating current challenges from this perspective helps me determine the best way to move forward to regain momentum

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Balancing growth is our greatest challenge. In a fast-growing market there are always multiple opportunities for growth, whether they be launching innovative products or partnering with new customers, the need to constantly evaluate opportunities and allocate scarce capital resources is an exciting challenge to face.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
With so much of the success of a business based on the timing of events, it is impossible to know whether the timeline and the path to success would be the same. However, if I could do one thing differently, I would have started earlier

What was your childhood ambition?
Since early on, my ambition was to "build something", so I wanted to be an architect. Later I became interested in business and the goal became to build a business. Today I work to build a company that has a positive impact on the people it touches.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Prudencio Unanue and later his son Joseph Unanue for having the vision to serve a market that many thought was not yet there

Richard Branson for the market-making boldness of his business endeavors and for his branding and marketing genius

Reinaldo Rodas, my father, for his unrelenting optimism and work ethic, and for his genuine interest in relating to people, understanding and addressing their needs

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Dinner. With the benefit of a full day's work behind, a good meal seems an ideal informal setting to start or strengthen a business relationship

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Entrepreneurship is a lifestyle that demands sacrifices often borne not only by an entrepreneur but by those around him/her as well. Bootstrapping, for instance, requires frugal stewardship of both business and personal financial resources, and at times it may mean modifying short term financial goals that would be easily attainable on more conventional career paths, like deferring contributions to a retirement plan, for example. Nevertheless, these sacrifices usually come with the expectation of worthy long-term rewards

What is your favorite quote?
"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore"
- André Gide

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
No. Like most people, I never set out to be unconventional, but simply strive to attain goals that I find challenging and fulfilling. Sometimes these pursuits stand out because they are different than what most people choose to do. I believe that nowadays our collective mindset is shifting toward entrepreneurship; twenty or thirty-year careers at a single company seem a lot less likely today than they did twenty years ago. Pursuing a twenty-plus year career at a corporate giant undoubtedly takes a great deal of determination and perseverance; and in my opinion, that kind of commitment is no less extraordinary and unconventional than choosing a career in entrepreneurship.

Biggest mistake made?
A few years ago, during the launch of one of our brands, I decided to outsource an important function to focus on other priorities of the business. Upon evaluating the outsourcing partner's performance, we found that although it had been satisfactory and according to our requirements, there was tremendous opportunity within that function to affect the strategic direction of the company and to capture significant cost savings.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes. I am convinced that no matter the setting, in order to succeed in business one has to offer something new, different. However, I always keep in mind that innovation can take many forms. Innovators aren't only those who can come up with the quintessential "better mouse-trap"; they are also those who find a way to deliver it faster, or those who find a different application for it.

About the Company.
The ROCI Group, LLC owns and manages the TUCOCINA® brand of specialty kitchenware.

The premier source of specialty Hispanic kitchenware, TUCOCINA® products are created to satisfy the needs of Latino families and Latin-food lovers. Whether you are preparing the latest Nuevo Latino dish or your grandmother's signature soup we provide superior-quality cookware and kitchen tools designed to perform in today's kitchen.

TUCOCINA® offers a complete line of cookware and kitchen tools sold at over 600 retail establishments in the U.S.

TUCOCINA® Tradición Latina!
www.tucocina.net

Rodolfo Llanos > www.SoloIngles.com

Rodolfo Llanos, Founder, SoloIngles.com

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
I am encouraged to say that, more than anything, you need great determination to turn a dream into reality. Once you have that you have the most important thing and, adding a lot of work, creativity, planning and passion for what you propose, you are surely qualified as an “entrepreneur.” Every person that has an idea, takes the initiative with the only objective to turn it into a reality and leads the project all while keeping his nose to the grindstone to me is an entrepreneur. You need a lot of willpower, confidence and clarity of your objectives to not give in when things get stormy or negative. You must also be very attentive to the market so that you are not surprised by the reality

What did inspire you to start your business?
All my life I have known that education is the base of all progress and I firmly believe that the English language drives the business world. This is not only true for business, but also general communications increase and improve when we interact with other cultures, so it is important to use a universal language. Based on that belief I saw that many more people than I had thought do not use English due to the difficulties they have in finding a professor. These difficulties vary (different schedules, distances and economic resources) and it occurred to me that something as massive as the internet could be the solution to this problem that has been so important and reoccurring for a long time. In this way I used an existing resource for an educational mission that strives to be completely global and beneficial for everyone. I am motivated by imagining thousands of men and women finding the solution to their language problem with my service and that it helps to improve and change their quality of life.

How did you finance it?
To tell the truth, I started with $500. There wasn’t any more. We taught the first class from an internet café, without a proper structure, or investors. We gradually found the market and all of the investments were the fruit of sales done in the street, door to door and face to café. Everything was a “re-investment” in the business. It was hard, very hard, and something longer than we had imagined, but today we can say that we grew thanks to our work and our economic sacrifice. I made the furniture and the light fixtures in the office, I hired employees when it was possible to pay them and, in this way, always looking for more and improving the service, we financed the project.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
I don’t know. I feel that the market for those who need to learn the English language is clearer for me, since I am a part of it. Being a “Spanish speaker” is related to the awareness of the need of my service in the world, but being “Hispanic” in reality could be a handicap rather than a positive influence in opening my business to the world.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
What a question! I will take a few of the words quoted in my first answer, for example: “determination.” For me, adversity is always there; it is not something that comes and goes. I look at it as an unfavorable condition which is always there with any goal (truthfully there have been very few when I have felt the “fair winds”), and therefore I have learned to see it as a part of life. Nothing more than that. And despite of it I have decided to keep moving forward for the same reasons as I started. My desire to see mi dream made into a reality, precisely against the tide. I knew when I started that my dream would never abandon me and I would never abandon my dream due to adversity. I never questioned whether I would move forward or not; I battled adversity with optimism and a lot of ingenuity. I know that it is passing and if I dwell too much on it, adversity wins.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
The biggest? My business is one disaster after another, partly because I handle it that way. In any case, I think that the biggest challenge has been opening offices in other countries and not just finding clients: flying to another country to tell them about myself and my project, my business, getting them to believe in an Argentine and his business. It is hard for me to decide which of these challenges deserves the title of “most difficult,” but, in the real world, Argentina is seen as an unstable country, therefore, it seems that all of the residents are unstable as well, so it is difficult to show this flag with pride when talking about businesses. Opening offices in foreign countries is also a new adventure for us, since what we have already done was a big investment and that is why I can select it as the biggest challenge. Another big one occurred while we were getting started: trying to quiet all of those voices that said, “This isn’t going to work.” This included experts in education who said that it was a good idea, but not applicable. This was an even bigger problem due to the fact that we were trying to teach by “videoconferencing” during an era when many of our students had never even chatted before.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
Nothing; this is the way I know it and any other way wouldn’t be the same. I imagine that I would cut down on the time needed to put our product on the market and spread to foreign countries. If I could change anything, I would change that, but if you are asking me to choose a characteristic that I don’t like leading, it would be this: I am a very anxious person and this sometimes makes me too restless. In any case I also know that this time that is spent waiting teaches you a lot and is very useful for me today. Therefore, I will stay with my lived experience, because without it the business wouldn’t be MINE, but a business to conquer.

What was your childhood ambition?
To be big. I always wanted to leave my mark. Have my family and my family. Reap the fruits of my labor successfully. When I was an adolescent it wasn’t very clear, maybe at that age I wanted more to have a girlfriend and travel the world with her, but I quickly changed!

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Gates, Ford and Larry Page.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
For me the best is lunch; it allows me to complete my daily activities and it makes me predisposed to eating well while doing business. This is very good because it helps everyone to relate the business meeting with a friendly gathering. Nothing takes away the goal of the meeting, but if we can make it more agreeable, all the better. In any case, I will agree to breakfast and dinner for any presented opportunities.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Many. Giving up time with my family, principally with my children. It was hard but I always accomplished my goals knowing that they were also for a better future for my children. Abandoning the sport that I’m participating in again today, triathlons, because it took up so much time that I had to dedicate to my project. Reducing a few of the pleasures of my family because the money didn’t cover everything. I sacrificed, among other things, the sensation of security that someone who receives a salary at the end of the month feels. My decision to be an entrepreneur wouldn’t be changed for anything, but I know that in my life a lot my strength came from knowing that if I didn’t do it I wouldn’t get paid.

What is your favorite quote?
“Failure will never surprise you if your determination to catch up with success is sufficiently powerful.”

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Haha, this question makes me feel too special! I don’t think I’m that special! I know that it is a decision that must be made everyday and that there are many temptations to fall into mediocrity and reduce our ambitions and it is not hard to stay conventional. Sometimes it is a question of conduct, but in my case, the desire grew in my essence to challenge the limits that held me back. Ignoring this would be much more difficult than maintaining a comfortable position where I was bored.

Biggest mistake made?
Delaying the opening of offices in other countries and thinking of publicity as a consequence of the consolidation of the business.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes, it is something that I love: trying new things, inventing things to propose to the world. I like that my actions change the course of things and that my steps make a difference. Change attracts me and I get bored of routine. Innovation to me is a carrot that I will always pursue and enjoy exploring.

About the Company
Soloingles.com is a global technology and education company, a pioneer at the global level in the teaching of languages to professionals, executives and business people through videoconferencing and cell phones.
As an organization with strong international grow, the success of our project is based in our constant dedication to developing an educational system where the student obtains control of the language, both oral and written, that his profession demands.
Our number one strength is giving our students an indispensible tool in the globalized world of today. www.soloingles.com

Reynaldo Infante > www.worldvoicesstudios.com

Reynaldo Infante, Founder, World Voices Studios

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
It takes courage, enthusiasm, audacity, energy, and involves ourselves in a constant learning process about the Industry, the market and our inner strengths.

What did inspire you to start your business?
I noticed an increasing need of developing multilingual projects. As a neutral Spanish voice talent, I’ve been involved in the advertising field for many years and became aware of the need for neutral Spanish voiceovers for the Hispanic audience of the United States. This way, it started the idea of creating a multilingual voice bank with native professional talents, and support all by a professional voice recording facility.

How did you finance it?
My own resources, basically savings. I invested my savings in the construction of a small recording studio facility that stared progressing little by little until it allowed us to finance the construction of a second, better installed facility, which finally, again, made it possible for us to buy our current facilities. Everything happened step by step and every penny counted.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Sure, that was the light that started everything, the need of producing audiovisual materials specially intended for us, the Hispanic audience.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
We tend to focus on those elements that represent more benefits with less costs as possible for the company; and always keeping a positive attitude to look for opportunities during adversity, keeping in mind that such “adversity” is temporary.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
As every small start up company, I would say Time and Money were the biggest challenges. Time to develop and create business relations and money to develop a proper structure for the business.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I´d like to able to spend even more time on the business , for me this is not work it´s passion, and you never get tired when you are involved in projects you just love.

What was your childhood ambition?
I always liked the idea of having my own recording studio agency and work on broadcast media. All my childhood hobbies were somehow related to this, which are now my current occupations.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire
There are many people I would say I admire from many perspectives in life, but these three well represent the all:

-Steve Jobs: his company created trends and his technology have changed life styles.

-Donald Trump: his courage to start all over again after a big fall

-Barack Obama: he is life representation of “Yes, we can” if we believe.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Breakfast, early in the morning, ideas are fresh and everyone is open for new things that may come with a new day.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Time, time and more time. Family and friends suffer this situation but they also understand. A few years later you are able to balance your life bit more. Currently, my wife works with me at the agency, which helps.

What is your favorite quote?
I have two phrases; I use one or the other depending on the situation. Mostly, when I am about to do something I say “You will never have all the proper circumstances to start something” and then I say “So, Cheer Up”.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Sometimes. The world works as a big system in which you are expected to be conventional….but then entrepreneurs arise and change everything.

Biggest mistake made?
Many! But other than a mistake, I would call it a learning curve, which has been sometimes long, painful or expensive, but the important thing about this is that at least I have been able to learn from each experience and become wiser with every new situation.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
If we consider innovation as the fact of being able to modify, make changes on something the way it is known, then I guess we are all innovators somehow. By the time we add some of our personal history on anything that we do, then we are making changes, we are innovating.

About the Company
World Voices Studios is a company entirely dedicated to the production of multilingual audio for corporate, commercial or educational use. We also offer translation services.
Our specialty is related to different aspects of the voiceover field and we work with a wide variety of voice talents native in different languages and residents in many countries. Our key value service is video dubbing and voiceovers into neutral Spanish. Our facilities allow us to record and direct our voice talents “in-house” and remotely.

http://www.worldvoicesstudios.com/

http://www.reynaldoinfante.com/

Angela Larson > www.FierceFunToys.com

Angela Larson, Founder, Fierce Fun Toys.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
A business idea, a passion for seeing that idea come to life, flexibility to recognize when changes need to be made, AND thick skin to sort out all the “advice” that you will be given.

What did inspire you to start your business?
I had an idea that I thought could help make the world a tiny bit better for my boys. Then realizing that maybe other families could embrace the message as well.

How did you finance it?
After watching my 401K shrink significantly, I cashed it out. I decided I would have more fun developing and giving away my toy/story than losing the money to invisible market forces as well as a greater chance of return.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
I grew up Hispanic in a very non-Hispanic neighborhood. My friends spoke one language and I was regularly hearing two languages. We had different rules and social structure in my household. Most of all we had different food. I think from those influences I’ve learned that different doesn’t mean better or worse, just different. This insight has helped me craft a message for my company that appeals to a wide group of diverse individuals. It has helped me as a business partner to think twice on why people may respond in a particular manner. And maybe the taste for diverse food has lead to much better business meetings!

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
Evaluate the concern at hand; is it a valid hurdle, is it surmountable, or is it something that needs serious consideration for the business model. Then deal with it. No matter what the issue, if left alone it is unlikely to be addressed. And when dealing with issues I just try to remember, “this too shall pass.”

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Prioritizing. When first starting out, there is so much that needs to be done, but only limited time and funds. So prioritizing what is necessary now vs. what can wait till later becomes key. However finding any time and money has also provided challenges.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I’m looking forward to having systems in place rather than building them. I love what we are about and what we are doing, but being a bit more mature in the process is something to which I’m looking forward.

What was your childhood ambition?
I was a day dreamer and book reader. I was not classically ambitions and did not have heroes. But my passions stir deep, and when I become passionate about something, it is the path I must follow. I guess all the books instilled the belief that anyone can cause change.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Kenneth Cole, he started from the back of a truck in mid-town NYC because he couldn’t afford to rent retail store space.

Martin Luther King Jr., ok, maybe not an entrepreneur, but he did repackage the message of ‘think beyond yourself and create good for the greater society’ in a non-religious metaphor so more people would understand.

Ruben Blades, the man is an amazing talent, passionate soul, and continues to build his life the way he chooses.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
I totally prefer breakfast. The meeting starts and ends on time due to the demands of the rest of the day, and I generally like the food. If it is a business/friendly meeting then dinner is nice, but because I have a family, don’t be surprised if I offer a cooked meal at my house.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I held off having children for a long time. I’m older and more mature so maybe this wait was maybe a good choice overall. I also worked very long hours in the beginning, which if my husband hadn’t been so patient, we would not still be married. Now I still struggle to find a balance, I still work well over 40 hours a week, but I don’t do it all from an office.

What is your favorite quote?
“What would you do if you were sure not to fail?” It is a good question.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Sometimes. I think it instinctual to go the path that works best for oneself. However, others will try to focus you back on what is conventionally accepted. Thick skin definitely helps.

Biggest mistake made?
Not listening to my inner voice. Not following my passion. But I’m changing that now.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes, because while I look for solutions I don’t only review what is available but consider every idea I can conceive.

About the Company
Fierce Fun Toys, LLC started one fateful morning when its president, a mother of two boys, was struck with a thought during her morning shower, “This can’t be all there is. I’m starting my own company!” A month later she went from working on Wall Street to working with a farting elephant, Norman PhartEphant.

Norman PhartEphant evolved from a funny idea, to an irresistible plush toy to an engaging picture book series about adoption, transition, cultural differences and overcoming odds. This toy and book series is the starting point for Fierce Fun Toys and mirrors the many events that have occurred in the founder’s life.

Fierce Fun Toys marries fun with charity by donating a portion of proceeds to children’s charities - The Smile Train and Half the Sky. We believe life should be fun, that we are all in it together, and everyone can make a difference.

www.FierceFunToys.com

www.PhartEphant.com

Khalo Soro > www.VoodooMotel.com

Khalo Soro, Owner, Voodoo Motel.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Creativity - tenacity - patience (i don't have the last one yet)

What did inspire you to start your business?
Music is the answer

How did you finance it?
With my work

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
No

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
With creativity, fitting, working more and becoming detached in time if it went necessarily.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
To keep valid up to date in a changing trendy market, working with partners who were only interested in making short time cash.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
Municipal permissions

What was your childhood ambition?
To be successful doing works that give me happiness

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Matt Groening
Bill Gates
Walt Disney

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Is not healthy to eat & work at the same

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Many sacrifices postponed moments with my family and carelessly for my health

What is your favorite quote?
Impossible is nothing

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Not for me, but it is difficult for my people.

Biggest mistake made?
Trust in the word of the others. Lawyers and contracts support the agreements and the friendship.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I do. I need to do new things all the time, to project not to get bored. Boredom makes me unhappy and I abandoned any business that makes me unhappy.

About the Company
My business dedicates to cocktails and gastronomy for entertainment & musical spaces. We also organize events, mainly socials and musicals.
http://www.voodoomotel.com/

Mike Periu > www.EcoFinMedia.com

Mike Periu, Principal, EcoFin Media, LLC

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Self-confidence. You are embarking on a path where most people fail and almost everyone around you will continually tell you that you are making a mistake. If you don’t have sufficient self-confidence, you’ll believe them and not yourself.

What did inspire you to start your business?
Frustration. I become frustrated at the limited availability of quality, unbiased, honest financial literacy information that was able to successfully and credibly establish a connection with Hispanic audiences. Without this information, you are at a tremendous disadvantage in life. I saw this is a huge problem that needed to be solved and I have the skills to solve it.

How did you finance it?
EcoFin Media is the third company I have founded or co-founded. I was able to finance the launch of this venture from the accumulated, retained profits generated from my previous companies.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Tremendous influence. Our mission is to empower individuals through financial literacy information. To date, 80% of our work has been directed towards Hispanics in the U.S. who are Spanish dominant. Our intimate understanding of the culture is essential in producing educational content that establishes a connection with the audience. This dramatically increases information retention rates.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
The ability to persevere in the face of adversity is a key trait of any successful entrepreneur. The only way to keep going is to have confidence in yourself and in your business. If you do, then moments of adversity will appear to you as temporary and surmountable. If you don’t have sufficient self-confidence, then the same adversity will appear impossible to overcome and you’ll quit. So how you perceive adversity is directly correlated to your level of self-confidence.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Our biggest challenge has been overcoming the stigma of being a for-profit company in financial literacy. I say stigma because many individuals and organizations are accustomed to interacting with non-profits in this sector. I believe there is a tremendous unmet need for superior quality information at a fair price. I also think that in many cases giving away financial literacy information is counterproductive. Its human nature to assume that there is a relationship between price and value. When you give something away, people tend to think it is not worth very much. Additionally, if the recipient of the information hasn’t given something up to acquire the information, they are less likely to use it. I see this regularly. It is better to charge someone for something that will help them if it increases the likelihood that they will use it. Finally, many individuals have been conditioned to expect a third party to make basic financial decisions for them, while they stay in the dark. That is precisely how you get into trouble. Our goal is to empower individuals to make decisions for themselves. Not everyone agrees with this point of view. It is an uphill battle sometimes.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
The length of our sales cycle. Its partially a function of the economy, but the longer it takes to close a deal the greater the resources that are tied up in the process of closing. Shorter sales cycles would allow us to do more and help more people.

What was your childhood ambition?
I have always felt blessed with many talents and gifts. From a young age I have always wanted to help others. I feel it is my duty to share my talents in a way that improves the lives of as many people as possible. From an early age, this has been my ambition. It is still a work in progress and will probably be for the rest of my life.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Michael Dell – He took his company from a dorm room project to one of the largest and most successful companies in history. His ability to consistently execute his at times revolutionary business plan and deliver on his vision is admirable. After Dell ran into difficulties, he quickly rejoined the company to set it on the right path again.

Jorge Mas Canosa – While building MasTec into an industry leader, he used his business acumen, capital and contacts to further the cause of liberty for Cuba from the Castro dictatorship. While his dream has not been realized, he serves as a model of how successful entrepreneurs can leverage their resources for noble causes.

Craig McCaw – He is a true innovator. He revolutionized two industries: cable television and cellular communications. Where others only saw problems, he saw opportunity and he knew how to capitalize on it.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Whatever the client prefers. I can (and all entrepreneurs should) adapt to whatever will give you a better likelihood of closing the deal.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Coming from a conservative family, the choice to forgo a low risk traditional career path and instead accept a high risk entrepreneurial path was very difficult for them to understand. In the beginning, you are working 10 times as hard for very little reward. But you have to push through that. When you start to taste success, there is nothing like it!

What is your favorite quote?
“No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable.” -Adam Smith

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
This varies from person to person. I have always been somewhat unconventional and frankly you have to be to go into business for yourself and stick it out during the difficult times. For other people, it is very difficult or impossible. It’s not something you learn. Its either part of your personality or it isn’t.

Biggest mistake made?
I have made many mistakes so it’s difficult to judge the “biggest” of them all. Perhaps the biggest was not seeking out a mentor in entrepreneurship when I made the decision to go into business for myself. Starting a business is something you have to learn by doing. I should have found the most successful business owner within my reach and insisted on being his or her shadow for a year. That would have saved me a great deal of time, money and effort.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I consider myself an innovator because I am packaging information in a new way to maximize its benefits. I am doing this for a market where many established players don’t see or refuse to see the opportunity.

About the company
Founded by Mike Periu ( www.periu.com ) EcoFin Media, LLC ( www.ecofinmedia.com ) develops high quality financial literacy content for print, television, radio and online. We work both in English and Spanish, providing culturally relevant content that speaks directly to target audiences. We market our own products –including the leading financial literacy blog in Spanish DINEROyCREDITO.com ( www.dineroycredito.com )- and also develop private-label content.
Our mission is to empower individuals to make sound financial decisions for themselves. Our content is developed with a friendly, engaging style that informs but does not intimidate.
http://www.ecofinmedia.com/
http://www.dineroycredito.com/

Ivan Cevallos > www.ethosagency.com

Ivan Cevallos, CEO & Founder, ethosGROUP Inc.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
One of the core qualities of an entrepreneur is the gift of a vision and the ability to execute on it every day. When you run a business, you are exposed to many distractions that can take you on different directions. When you stay on track you are closer to success.

What did inspire you to start your business?
Before starting my business, I was running all kinds of business for other people, from restaurants to film production and distribution companies. I had none or very little supervision and was able to build up from zero to several millions in sales. One day I asked to become a partner and was told no. I thought about it, analyzed the situation and after a couple of days decided to go on my own.

How did you finance it?
The business was financed organically in the first years and with personal credit cards and lines of credit as it grew.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
My first business ventures were in the general and Asian markets where I was the only Hispanic. It had its pros and cons but always required that I validate my capacity to run the business. That disappeared after I closed a few deals. When I went on my own, I went through a retro acculturation process where I asked myself if I should continue to work in the Asian/Anglo markets or consider the Hispanic. Since 2003, the Hispanic market is part of my business.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
I think it is all about attitude. When you start the day, you decide to see it as adversity or a challenge that you must overcome. I arrived to the U.S. at 18 and did not speak English, I slept in the streets a few winter nights in New York, I did not have parents to help me or support me. Those were my first challenges. I had to develop a plan to learn the language, get a job and a home. You always have options; you either sink or move ahead based on what you choose.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
I think the availability of additional funding has been a major challenge.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I would look for funding at the initial stage.

What was your childhood ambition?
I wanted to be a film director

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Richard Branson, Michael Dell and Oprah Winfrey

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Breakfast, lunches, happy hours and dinners. We are always open for business.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I tried to maintain balance between personal and business life but there were times in which I was not at home as often as I would have liked.

What is your favorite quote?
A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove... but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child. -Simone Weil

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
It can be difficult because you do not go with the flow and humans tend to stick with groups that have things in common. That puts you in a position in which you also gravitate to other people that are unconventional. In my case it has been creative people.

Biggest mistake made?
Not saying no to clients.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes, I am always looking for alternatives that are not in the market. I am also an early adopter of ideas and technology. When you adopt new technologies or ideas, new rules are being made. It is part of my strategy to be current and look for new opportunities.

About the Company
ethosGROUP Inc. is a marketing communications company that guides clients with strategy and the execution of those strategies to meet specific clients’ needs and objectives across traditional marketing, digital & social media and branded content.

Much as our name implies, the ethosGroup combines its understanding of cultural distinctiveness with the most sophisticated usage of the entire spectrum of media to create brilliant marketing communications/advertising campaigns that go wherever your consumer does. Online, on their cells, on branded television programs, to events, even to their homes via grassroots activities.

The ethosGroup devises relevant marketing and advertising strategies that position your products both culturally and targeted to that segment most important to you and your goals.
http://www.ethosagency.com/

Patricio Quezada > www.hispanicslearn.com

Patricio Quezada, CEO & Founder, Hispanics Learn.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
You need persistence and execution. Without those 2 key elements you’ll find yourself wasting time and energy.

What did inspire you to start your business?
Being able to grab control of steering wheel and drive myself to where I want to go.

How did you finance it?
Personal finances, Friends and Families

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Yes. Speaking both languages fluently and being involved in the Hispanic community helps me a lot with my demographics.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
Envisioning the finish line and how good it’s going to feel once I reach it.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Looking for outside help.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I’d definitely like to have more employees that I can talk to about ideas.

What was your childhood ambition?
I wanted to be a scientist but over the years physics and beakers weren’t my favorite toys anymore.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Pharrell Williams is truly my number one. He’s a very artistic and unique individual. He has a drive, persistent, and execution that is uncanny.

Roger Velasquez is another of the influential entrepreneurs in my life. Besides the fact that he is a family member of mine doesn’t take away the fact that even though he doesn’t have a wall of master degrees he still managed to start his business and overcome all obstacles put in front of him at an early age.

Tony Hsieh is my number three after much debate. I met him at an Underground Teleseminar and did not know anything about his company or his prior entrepreneurship expenence. After listening to his presentation and then following his company endeavors on a daily basis I started to see that his entrepreneur approach is really the key to his success.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
I like lunch.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I had to let go of the dependability of being with my friends and just spending time alone with my business idea.

What is your favorite quote?
“Victory goes not to the swift nor to the strong but to he who endureth until the end”- Unknown

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
No, I think as an entrepreneur it comes naturally and sooner or later you see that you’ve accomplished so much out of the norm that it is now a way of life.

Biggest mistake made?
It has to be the lack of execution from the beginning.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes, I’ve overcome many entrepreneurial hardships through unconventional practices and with the help of some serial entrepreneurs and a great business coach.

About the Company
Founded in 2008 by Patricio Quezada, 18, Hispanics Learn provides bi-lingual computer and technology training to the Hispanic Community in the U.S. and abroad. Hispanics Learn has been featured on CNN, CBS.com and in the Washington Business Journal. http://www.hispanicslearn.com/

Hispanics Learn offers in person workshops and online training and tools to create a dynamic learning experience for both individuals and groups. The content is available in multiple formats, audio, video and print and is also presented in Spanish and English for those who are also learning the language. Quezada is exploring partnerships with workforce development programs and non-profits that work to improve opportunities for Hispanics. Quezada is also penning his first book, The Bilingual Computer Handbook that he plans to release on Amazon.com this fall. The book will be written in English and Spanish and will introduce basic computer concepts and terms in a step-by-step format.

Jorge Siffredi > www.englishmedianet.com

Jorge Siffredi, CEO & Co-Founder, English Media Net.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
To be an entrepreneur, you need ‘attitude’. You could have been born with it, or you can work on it during your whole life. If you reach them both, you are likely to reach success in everything you want.

What did inspire you to start your Business?
In my case, it was something natural. Once I had reached the top position at an International Company (which trained professionals and companies in English language) and when I felt that to manage 350 people in 5 different countries was not such a surprising challenge, my next step was to have my own company

How did you finance it?
With my own money and partners.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
I don’t think your place of birth is so important.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
In that situation, you can tell one who starts some business (who usually gives up) from that one who is an entrepreneur, who is driven by passion and iron faith he has in his project. Both are engines that strengthen and inspire him to always find an appropriate solution and to carry on.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
To learn how to manage it.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
‘Nothing’ and ‘everything’. ‘Nothing’ in the sense that we are successful in what we are doing. And ‘everything’, since we are always on the alert and checking all our procedures, so as to improve them, having critical thinking skills in our acts (with an external perspective), keeping alert for any necessary change.

What was your childhood ambition?
I have always tried (since I was a child) to be the best one in those things I set out to do. Obviously, at that moment, I was not so much conscious about it.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Thomas Alva Edison, Ray Kroc and Steve Jobs. They have inspired me through their brilliance, forward-looking approach and their enormous perseverance capacity.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
For me, it’s the same. I really love what I do, then, I can talk business over breakfast, lunch and dinner the same day.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
To be successful in any sort of business, you have to get ready for sacrifice. For obvious reasons, devoting long hours to continuous work, means taking them out of family, friends and leisure time. But, if to that effort you add intelligence, what you leave on your way, in that sense, will be then returned to you in full.

What is your favorite quote?
I’d like to be the main character in the film of my life, not only a mere spectator of things that happen to me’.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
At this moment in humanity, to be conventional is to be left out of the game.

Biggest mistake made?
Choosing my first partners, mistake that, thank God, I managed to mend in time.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I can not help thinking about how wonderfully fast humanity advances nowadays. To be innovator is something I love and, besides, I consider it essential. That’s why I had the idea (when it was still considered technologically ‘impossible’) to create a whole virtual company for learning English 100 % live, from any place in the world.

About the Company:
English Media Net is an institution which makes it possible for staff, professionals, businessmen and businesswomen, to learn to speak, read and write in English fluently, taking all the advantages that e-learning provides, concerning its comforts in spite of time and distance, added to permanent live classes, something essential to learn a second language in the correct way.
www.englishmedianet.com

Diego Gaona > www.onna-gourmet.com.ar

Diego Gaona, Owner, Onna Gourmet Pizza Catering.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
In a country as Argentina, you will basically need courage, astuteness and not to think so much as if you do it, you will find so many obstacles to start with.

What did inspire you to start your business?
Firstly, the need to begin with my own project, and secondly improve my economy.

How did you finance it?
I rent my apartment for usd 700 to a foreigner couple who lived in Buenos Aires for 3 month.
And I’ve been living at friend’s houses as a nomad.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
I think we are used to work much harder to resolve any type of problems as here in Argentina everything is difficult.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
The only way is insisting. In our country the decisions are very influenced by the economy and the politics. These are two crucial things to contract a catering.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
The mayor challenge was to consolidate our brand as a concept; we sell the best Pizza Gourmet, accompanied with honesty, education and respect.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I would like to be a step forward on business. For example open premises and be able to manage it and expand this concept all over the world.

What was your childhood ambition?
Have a good economy position and be able to help other people who need a hand.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
In alphabetic order: Claudio Destéfano, Andy Freire and Alec Oxenford. I’ve been lucky meeting the 3 of them in entrepreneur congresses, reading their books and inviting them to my TV program (www.encuentrosgourmet.com.ar) where I could join my journalist profession with the kitchen.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
None. I think the best is to have the meeting before, make the deal where both parts win and then have lunch or dinner. I don’t consider beneficial to mix a tense moment with a pleasure one.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
You are working meanwhile the other people are enjoying the event, party, birthday, etc. You should assume this from the very begging to delight the work you are doing.

What is your favorite quote?
Regarding thoughts, to be alert every moment to catch any opportunity; and my favourite expression is “wind on favor, wind against”. Nothing is more pleasant to win when you perseverate and work honestly.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
No, is very interesting because you have no limits. I’m my own roof and I decide till where I’ll reach.

Biggest mistake made?
Biggest mistake made? I think I didn’t make one. Saint Ignacio de Loyola said “the experience makes the man”, you learn from your errors and good decisions. You should recognize and repair them on time, no matter what it takes.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes. I consider myself an innovator because 5 years ago I proposed myself a very ambitious objective: make the best pizza in the world; I try to re invent the pizza, giving more value to it and converting in a gourmet plate.

About the Company:
Onna – Gourmet Pizza Catering: Our mission is re inventing the pizza, adding more value to it, and making a real gourmet plate.

In Onna we organize birthdays, parties, vernissages, company events, openings and product launches.
In Onna we make the better Pizzas Gourmet in your house, country house, farm or apartment.
www.onna-gourmet.com.ar
www.encuentrosgourmet.com.ar

Patricia Vaccarino > www.xanthuscom.com

Patricia Vaccarino, Founder, Xanthus Communications LLC and its subsidiary PRforPeople.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
To be an entrepreneur in today’s business climate, you must build a strong brand identity for you and for your business. You must invest in yourself. You must invest in your own public relations campaign. Some people feel shy about self-promotion and believe that it self-aggrandizing or even narcissistic. You must get over any reticence that tells you that by promoting yourself you are being immodest. This is business, not child’s play. In order to succeed in today’s business environment, you must aggressively promote yourself and your business. You must embrace the fact that public relations or self-promotion is simply a business development tool and is necessary to grow your business and to increase revenue. You may not have a spectacular budget to work with, but do have to have a budget. Your budget is what will dictate exactly how you can create your own fully integrated promotion and establish metrics to assess whether or not you did indeed get your return on your investment.

What did inspire you to start your business?
Back in the late 1990s, I had the pleasure to work with an Internet company called PublishingOnline. While I was there, I worked with individual authors who wanted to be published on the internet. I quickly learned there was a real need for professionals to market themselves the same as any company in a way that was cost effective and got results. So when I started my own PR firm, I decided that I wanted to do PRforPeople.

How did you finance it?
I have bootstrapped my business. From the onset, my company has consistently sustained profitability. Since it is a service-oriented business, I maintain very little overhead and keep my costs low. I don’t believe in incurring debt unless there is a strategic reason for doing so. I also curb my costs in small ways by outsourcing IT services to developers in India, and by working with highly experienced senior-level independent contractors who want to maintain their “freelance” autonomy and do not want permanent employment.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
On the west coast, I am more influenced by the Mexican-American culture whereas on the east coast, there was greater influence from Cuban Americans, Puerto Rican Americans and Dominican Americans. Many of my Spanish-speaking clients have strong expertise in branding and PR and know how it works. Two fine examples are Fashion Designer Nick Verreos of Bravo TV’s Project Runway and Alicia Silva President of Synergy Design Studios who specializes in sustainable architecture and green living.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
You simply put one foot in front of the other and keep moving.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
To be successful in today’s complex market place, you must be able to break through the clutter. It does not matter if you are an artist or an actor or an accountant or an attorney, you must have the ability to be seen and heard above the din. Breaking through the clutter requires dedication, persistence and hard work. I face the same economic challenges and uncertainties that all of my clients are currently facing. We are all in this together. We must all stay the course and persevere.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I would expand more rapidly on a global scale.

What was your childhood ambition?
When I was in the 4th grade, my teacher saw that I had a gift for writing so she worked with me to help me cultivate the craft of “storytelling” that grew to be very sophisticated and far beyond my chronological years. So for the rest of my life, I had great confidence in my writing and the ability to use this talent to serve my clients-- to tell their “stories” to the media.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Diane von Fursteneberg--for her ruthless focus and her ability to reinvent her own brand.
Estee Lauder for her persistence and brilliance at promoting her own brand.
Melinda Gates--for putting a new brand face on what it means to be a social philanthropist.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Breakfast meetings are excellent for light fare and intense, focused conversation. At the end of the day, dinner is an excellent way to relax and have a long, complex conversation. I am not a fan of lunch, mainly due to my fitness regimen--lunch invites too much food that weighs down the afternoon just when you need to put the pedal to the metal and accelerate.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I say no to a lot of social events and to spending time with friends. In the last week alone, I have declined several parties, two book club gatherings, four dinners, two lunches and delayed a trip to my vacation home on the Oregon coast. I cannot take the time to travel right now. Leaving the country isn’t even a remote possibility. My priorities are my business and my family. Some people tell me that I work too much and that I don’t have enough fun, but to me building a business and making my dreams come true is much more fun and satisfying than anything else in the world!

What is your favorite quote?
“Good PR is establishing the greatest number of high quality relationships that reach across industries and sectors to get you a return on investment.” –Patricia Vaccarino

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
To attract the right people, clients, customers and partners, you must repel the other people who would never be your clients and partners. You must take a stand and speak the truth about who you are. If you choose the middle road and describe yourself in an average way to avoid offending someone, know and understand that you have doomed your personal brand to mediocrity. By trying to offend no one, you have showed the world that you have nothing to offer to anyone. Staying safely in the middle will waste your time and get you nowhere. Get rid of the wrong people. Define your brand. Refine it further. Make it sharp. Don’t be afraid of standing out. Exceptional people always frighten the weak and mediocre.

Biggest mistake made?
One of my strengths is the ability to persevere against all odds. One of the hardest decisions is knowing when to pull the plug on a project, a campaign or a client. If you have reached a fork in the road, it is often hard to assess whether you should press on and persevere or pull the plug to minimize your losses. If I had known back then, what I know now, I would have walked away from a lot of people and situations sooner instead of persevering and hoping that things would get better. Experience has taught me much greater precision and clarity in knowing when to strategically change direction.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I am the most innovative when I work with my clients. I always advise my clients to think outside the box. How you define your brand persona should be precise, creative and memorable. You are not a celebrity. You are a professional with a job and a career or you are an entrepreneur with a business. Or maybe you are an up-and-coming actor, artist or singer—a creative talent—who wants fame. No matter what your occupation is, you must find a way to stand out from the crowd. I have a client who is a Rabbi and is uniquely positioned as a youth and culture expert. I have a client who is a plastic surgeon who is not just a plastic surgeon, but expert in the psychological aspects of cosmetic surgery. I have a beauty expert who knows everything there is to know about the conditioning and growth of naturally long eyelashes. And while you must find a way to distinguish yourself from all the other professionals who share your same occupation, there is also a time when you must think inside the box. There is a time to simply say I am a rabbi, a physician or a beauty expert. Don’t forget to think inside the box. But always remember when to shove that box aside and explode with an original or innovative idea that will get noticed!

About the Company
Founded by Patricia Vaccarino in 2003, Xanthus Communications LLC is a boutique PR firm with large firm capabilities that is based in Seattle and in New York City. Xanthus offers the full range of traditional public relations services as well as technologically sophisticated channels of communication. Xanthus Communications LLC specializes in doing PR for People and offers PR programs designed specifically for individuals. Our mission is to help you to build brand equity in your name by using the media to increase the number of your clients or business partners. For more information, please scan http://www.xanthuscom.com. In 2007, Xanthus launched a second website to house its individual clients who are all professionals in their respective fields.
Please see http://www.prforpeople.com.

Digital and Social Media Convergence 2009 Conference: Meet the Latin Disruptors of Media, Entertainment, Technology & Advertising Attracts Influen...

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Latin Media and Entertainment Commission of the City of New York (LMEC) and LatinVision Media announced today the full lineup of participants in this year’s Wednesday, October 14, 2009, Digital and Social Media Convergence 2009 Conference. Janet Robinson, CEO of The New York Times, will do the opening remarks. A three-hour Business Networking Reception follows where industry, talent and investors will be able to connect in a more relaxed environment at the crossroads of the world.

The 2009 Convergence Conference is the premier event for Latin media, entertainment, technology and advertising CEOs and executives looking to grow their business and explore new opportunities with Latin audiences and to reach the mainstream, which spotlights the constant state of creation and evolution required of business leaders in today’s rapidly changing digital and social media landscape.

“This year’s Convergence Conference will bring together the best minds of the country’s Latin media, entertainment, technology and advertising sectors to the center of the world’s greatest stage – New York City,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “This collaboration between our City’s Latin Media and Entertainment Commission and LatinVision is another example of the great work our City is doing to solidify our position as the Latin media and entertainment capital of the world.”

Speakers are going to explore ideas and offer wisdom on the constant changes that are taking place within these industries. Among the varied topics are what creativity means in a digital world, whether the Web can support quality content, and how technology can change not only the way a company sends messages to consumers but also the way a company operates locally, regionally and internationally.

“Convergence 2009 captures the feverish pace of transformation happening in the media, entertainment, technology and advertising world today,” said Carlos Vassallo, CEO of LatinVision. “It is clearly a time of great change. A look at the top 50 US Websites shows that many are getting more traffic from abroad than from the US Spanish and is the third most used language in the world on the Internet with 130 million users after Chinese and English,” added Mr. Vassallo.

Speakers are a “who’s who” of CEOs, top marketers, senior executives, publishers, and industry gurus and experts. To view the speakers simply log onto

www.latinvision.com/conference/speakers.pdf

In addition to the lineup of keynotes, Convergence 2009 offers its attendees an unrivaled opportunity to learn from CEO’s and senior marketers who will share their experience from across a variety of emerging platforms including streaming, podcasting, radio, blogging, social networking, Internet, WiFi, audio, video and mobile casting and case studies of new ventures and how they got started through financing and networking events

For a full list of confirmed speakers and information on how to register, please visit www.latinvision.com/conference

Several sponsorship packages are still available. For more information on sponsorships, please contact Carlos Vassallo at 646-519-2452 or via email at: carlos@latinvision.com

About the Latin Media and Entertainment Commission (LMEC)
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg created the LMEC in 2003 with the mission to make New York the capital of Latin media and entertainment.

The Commission advises the Mayor on business development and retention strategies for the Latin media and entertainment industry, to retain, recruit, and expand Latin media and entertainment productions, businesses, and jobs in New York City and to attract and host high-profile Latin entertainment productions and events and to support and create New York based events

The Commission is made up of leaders from the Latin and mainstream media industry, community leaders from the nonprofit and cultural sectors, and leading executives from the financial, advertising, publishing, new media, and real estate sectors.

The heads of seven City agencies, under the direction of the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, serve on the commission as ex officio members.

About LatinVision Media
LatinVision Media Inc. is a New York based Company that operates business portals targeting US Hispanic and Latin American professionals, entrepreneurs, executives and business owners in a small and medium-sized companies.
See all our sites here: http://tinyurl.com/LatinVision and follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/latinvision

Contacts:
Carlos Vassallo
CEOLatinVision Media Inc.
POB 376 Church St. Station
New York, NY 10008
www.latinvision.com/conference
carlos@latinvision.com
Tel: 646-519-2452
Fax: 469-533-4874

Carlos Manzano
Executive Director Latin Media and Entertainment Commission
New York City Economic Development Corporation
110 William Street • New York, NY 10038
www.nycedc.com
cmanzano@nycedc.com

Shawna Baca > www.4elementsent.com

Shawna Baca, Founder, 4 Elements Entertainment.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
I think you need a great concept and business plan, a clear vision and most of all be a risk-taker. At some point, even with doing all your homework, you need to just be able to trust in your plan and jump into the fire.

What did inspire you to start your business?
Actually, the business originally started in San Diego when me and a few friends started a local community theatre company and rented out space in downtown. A couple years later, I moved to Los Angeles and started making short films, spec commercials, etc. to build my portfolio and needed to form a production company. As my portfolio grew, so did interest in companies to hire me. I sort of grew into my business.

How did you finance it?
I personally financed it and kept overhead cost to a minimum. I already had a body of work and I needed a web-site. The advantage to my business is that I have a team of people that work with me, whom most own their own equipment.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Yes, the market of advertisers are starting to broaden their demographics globally and we are a team of professionals who range from 1st generation Latinos to 4th Generation Latinos. My grandmother is not going to be interested in the same things I am and visa versa. Understanding that first and foremost from living it helps give us an advantage of understanding how to market to a multi-cultural global community.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
I have a motto "where there's a will, there's a way." I think I thrive more when the odds are against me. It's like a challenge and being creative it's nice to overcome those challenges, that's how art happens. I always think if it was easy then everybody would be able to do it.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
I think competing with larger companies who have been around for 20+ years. It's harder to compete with them. The only way I can keep up with them is to put a large body of quality work with them. For instance, we are smaller but we are nominated for two Imagen Awards this year for BEST ON-AIR ADVERSTISING PSA's and two of the other nominees are Fox and Telemundo. Just because we are smaller doesn't mean we have small ideas.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I think I can find more creative ways to gain more exposure to my company. I think it's about marketing the business to more corporate clients.

What was your childhood ambition?
When my friends and I used to play as kids, I always wanted to play the owner of the store where they bought their babies diapers and food. I loved numbers. When I was five, I was privy to be on set with Nick Cassavettes, who rented out my uncle's house for a shoot. After that, I was hooked and knew I wanted to be a filmmaker.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Maria de Lourdes Sobrino, CEO and Founder of LuLu's Desserts Corporation. I have read articles about her. She's from Mexico and had a dream to make and package Latin desserts. Her company is one of the most successful women owned Latin companies in the US. She built from the ground up when there wasn't even an Ethnic section in supermarkets. Anna Maria Arias, who founded Latina Style Magazine and set out to help young Latina entrepreneurs. Although, she is no longer with us, the magazine continues to thrive and has created the Anna Maria Arias Memorial Business Fund helping Latina Entrepreneurs. I really respect Laura Posada one of the co-founders of the Posada Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to reaching out to families in need whose children are affected by Craniosynostosis and provide them with emotional support through the Foundation’s family support network.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Lunch for sure. Dinner is a little personal and more intimate. Breakfast is a little to quick for me. Taking time out of the middle of day is a perfect way to get to know your client.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I don't have a personal life. When I get up in the morning, I'm on the go... and it's non-stop until the evening. But, when you do what you love, it's really not work.

What is your favorite quote?
"The place where you made your stand never mattered. Only that you were there... and still on your feet." - Stephen King

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
I think you have to be unconventional. Or at least that's how things operate in my world. I own a film production and new media company, and I'm constantly having to be creative in all aspects of my business with the exception of Accounting of course.

Biggest mistake made?
Not starting my business sooner. I really think I should have started five years earlier.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I don't know if I see myself really as an innovator. I am a woman with my own vision. I don't really think about breaking codes, I just think about fulfilling a need.

About the Company:
4 Elements Entertainment was founded in 2005, and specializes in Film and New Media projects that target the nation's growing multicultural audience. We work closely with 4 Elements Production's clients to develop American ethnic, urban and diverse media content. Our approach has a vantage, we are a multicultural team that identifies with the "New American" and cross-generational diverse population. 4 Elements Entertainment is a full service production company and advertising agency offering a one-stop boutique experience.

In March of 2008 Shawna Baca was honored by La Opinion newspaper and the City of Los Angeles with a "Mujeres Destacada" award for her contribution to the community in the Arts and Culture sector and she was given the New Media Director Award by the Professional Latinos In Entertainment which was sponsored by Anheuser Busch. On Sept. 5th, 2008 she was honored at the Latina Symposium in Washington D.C. with an award and recognition for being a Latina Entrepreneur.

Sara Echezarreta > www.saraechezarreta.com

Sara Echezarreta, Owner, Sara Echezarreta.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
A strong will of achieving your own project. And dare to.

What did inspire you to start your business?
Since I graduated as a Graphic Designer, I worked for big structures, where I learned to work in a corporate way. Then, I was always wanting to work for the projects in more a global way.
So, after working for companies for many years, also working as a teacher and making all the Masters I found on my way (Management, marketing, Aesthetic & Typography), six years ago I felt ready to start my own business, sure of giving an optimum service, from my point of view, to the target I was interested in.
I had the best providers for everything, and I felt confident about that. (Best recourses with minimum structure)
I focused on small companies because they need integral service and they represent like 70% of the Argentinean economy.

How did you finance it?
I was really lucky with the bosses I had at my company, who got involved in my personal growth. They helped me to buy equipment and let me work from my own office, and that way, I started my independent professional career. At the same time, I committed to continue working for them, but from my own place. And so we did. They are still my most important client. Luck is also important, and that was a big help.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
I think that making my professional career in Argentina gave me the training to be able to adapt to the permanent changes of the rules. Besides, creative professionals from Argentina have a good reputation internationally.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
I was formed in adversity. I have known only a few really prosperous scenarios. I grew up giving short steps, not waiting for immediate results. Observing a lot and trusting in my intuition.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Sustain.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I don’t know. Probably, to have less meetings and more time for inspiration.

What was your childhood ambition?
I wanted to make an aesthetic experience out of life. I didn’t really know how, but I knew there was something important in it.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Steve Jobs. Talented, visionary. He created a lot of products that I deeply enjoy, and make nicer my everyday.

Fernando Sulichin: Film Producer. He moved to Los Angeles by himself at the age of 20, against other people's will. He had to live in a Buddhist Temple for house and food, and studied at UCLA. He is a person who always needed to have a lot of fun, and made a profession out of it. Today he produces films of Spike Lee, Oliver Stone, David Lynch, among others.

Maru Botana: I know her since we were kids. She was always cooking while I didn’t understand why. Now I understand it perfectly well. She is an example of sustainable growth.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Lunch. Is the only meal I don’t mind if is invaded with work.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I had to miss a lot of everyday moments with my kids.

What is your favorite quote?
The wise man in the storm prays to God, not for safety from danger, but deliverance from fear. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
It is difficult to be different to what you are.

Biggest mistake made?
I didn’t calculate right the complexity of a work and it turned out extremely expensive to me.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I consider myself honest, which is helpful for creating (but not always politically correct)

About the Company:
Sara Echezarreta.
Design and Corporate Image, Web Design.
Small and medium size companies.
Participates on design or redesign of the business along with the clients.
Satisfaction guaranteed.
http://www.saraechezarreta.com/

Claudio Destéfano > www.dbiz.com.ar

Claudio Destéfano, Owner, d:biz.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
The first step is to love the project. Then, the second key point is to select a team to work with you, that makes you feel comfortable with the venture, and helps you achieve it.

What did inspire you to start your business?
Every venture is born from an emotional situation. In September 2003, when I decided to make my own company, I was the head of the "Business" section of Infobae, a newspaper of Buenos Aires. My wife, Maria de los Reyes, called me to the office at eight o´clock to tell me that my daughter Bianca (by that time she was three months old, today she is 6 years) smiled for the first time. That night I reached my house at midnight, and after having dinner I woke the baby up so she would smile to me. It was one o'clock on the morning, and it didn´t made sense to me that, in my 40 years, I could not enjoy the smile of my daughter. The next day I told the newspaper´s director that I would be no longer working for the company, that I wasn´t in a rush, that it was an strategic decision. I worked two more months for the newspaper (from September to November 2003) and on January 15, 2004 the DestéfanoBIZ was born, the daily interactive business newsletter that is now called d:biz. I began with a community of 2,000 subscribers and one sponsor (Prosegur Activa), and now, five years later, it has 20,000 bizers (subscribers), one hundred sponsors, and twenty on the waiting list.

How did you finance it?
The initial investment was negligible because the project started with a system created by my webmaster (Powersite SA), who started the making of newsletters with us (today he is the market leader, with more than 100 newsletters in operation), a journalist and the commercial manager of my radio show. That´s why I took the structure that I already had in the journalist and sales areas, and the technology did not involve any cost at all.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
It´s a typical argentine journalist product, with a relaxed style and words created by the community itself, as georgies (U.S. dollars), ar-manis (argentine pesos), and terms that are spelled as pronounced in their original language (instead euro we say iurous, Gugul instead of Google, or güikend, replacing weekend, to give just a few examples). Perhaps this kind of product wouldn´t work in a more formal society, but I proved that it does for Argentina.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
I always look at the half full part of the glass. Always, and it works for me. It´s not very orthodox definition of my business, but found no one better to define it. In Bizers we define ourselves as "seekers of laps." We seek a lap to a necessity. In Argentina we use that expression to define who is always looking for a way to solve a problem. By keeping the compass always facing to the solution, there´s no way that we can see a problematic situation as a hardship, but as an opportunity.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Without doubt, to make the company go up the hill. Enterprises such as this, so custom made as me make it from the first moment, has the weakness to tends to be a "one man show." The interesting key about "Bizers proyect" is that most people perceives that I am the one doing everything. The secret was to bring up a team where everyone wears the company´s t-shirt, and in many cases (at the time to answer and act) they are more Destéfano than me.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
In my lectures I always use the same answer. Companies generally have unproductive areas, and people entrenched in position where the managers can not eliminate them because it´s economic or relationship cost. I always say, and I maintain year after year, that if that if somebody blows up my company, I would call back each of the 30 members of Bizers to rebuilt ir. This means that each team member is part of my ideal team group.

What was your childhood ambition?
To become the number one business journalist of Argentina. This isn´t a zero sum game, and the decision is more subjective than rational, I won´t ever know if I reached my goal. But that, far away from being a problem is the main challenge. It makes it impossible for me to fall asleep on the laurels, because the horizon is is always remote, and it offers me new challenges to approach every day. I won´t give my competitors the chance to see me resting. I´m sorry pals.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire
Sir Robert Baden Powell, founder of Scouts, because he was a true visionary that transformed war tactics into life lessons that still remain the same. Steve Jobs, an advanced man. Richard Branson, the biggest of all.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Dinners, because the guest are relaxed assuming that they will have very little business talk, turn off their cell phones, and even give themselves permission to drink a some wine. There´s where the greatest opportunities are available.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
My strategy is, at this moment, to make a fully interactive media. This implies a risk: return every e-mail that arrives. I did it from day one, and I keep it up to today. This implies that, at the present time, I have to answer about 600 e-mails per day (or "emilio," as we call it in d:biz). That´s an average of 100 per hour, so it implies the sacrifice to spend so much time at the computer, which can deprives me of enjoying more time with my wife and four children.

What is your favorite quote?
I have three favorite phrases. One is "if you can imagine it, you can achieve it," and as a marathon runner as I am, I made it part of myself when I ran the Marathon des Sables in 2002 (230 kilometers in seven days in the Moroccan Sahara). The second one, from Michael Dell, says "in the business world there are two types of people: the quick and the dead.". And the third is by Walt Disney, and I use it every time I look back and see how my business grew. Walt, in executives meetings of Directors, used to say: "remember that everything started with a mouse."

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Not at all. It's fascinating, because people always expects something different, new, innovative. That is the fuel that is needed to create permanently, to feel young as the years pass.

Biggest mistake made?
Neglecting a radio project that I started with some friends, which made me lose a lot of money, which I'm still paying today. I always say that one is wrong at least once in his life. The thing is to try not to loose so much. I couldn´t do it. It was very expensive. But I learned not to neglect the details, which become the kings in each enterprise I start.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Absolutely, because I always go against the flow. I stopped working at a bank in good times to make me strong in financial journalism, I stopped being a lion's tail in the most important newspaper of Argentina (Clarin), I refused to be the mouse´s head in the pioneer business magazine in my country (Apertura), and left the safety of an executive job to make my own business at my forties, following what my heart that told me: "you have to enjoy your daughter's smile. There will be no second chance". Risky, yes, but I came out.

About the Company:
Bizers Productions is a content´s producer with five business units:

a) d: biz (www.dbiz.com.ar), an interactive business newsletter that reaches 20,000 executives for free, and the world's first interactive diary certified ISO 9001/2000.

b) Bizers Media: includes all journalistic activities that make "no d: biz. Example: A radio program, Radiografía, that for more than 12 years invites a company president every week (1530 were interviewed), television micros at TyC Sports (Argentina´s main sports signal) and SubTV (the channel of Metro Buenos Aires) and chronics in newspapers and magazines (El Cronista y El Gráfico).

c) Bizers Content: that produces content and communities for others. At present, this division generates 10 products for different businesses.

d) Corporate Bizers: business unit that makes relations events for companies.

e) Bizers Sport develops brands images for sports institutions. It now works exclusively with two football clubs: Tiro Federal de Rosario (www.tirofederal.net) and Sarmiento de Junín (www.sarmientodejunin.com.ar).

The company employs 30 people, and in 2008 had a turnover close to one million dollars, or georgies, as we call on our planet, the planet d:biz.

William Lopez > www.GregorioTies.com

William Lopez, Founder and CEO, Gregorio.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
To be an entrepreneur you need to have a vision and the fortitude to make your dream a reality. It’s like seeing through the eyes of a child: Anything is possible, No limits and Thinking outside the box.

What did inspire you to start your business?
What inspired me to start Gregorio was my realization that what I wore as a professional did not express who I was from a cultural standpoint. I see many Latinos succeeding in the United States and I wanted to celebrate it and express it via fashion.

How did you finance it?
Like many entrepreneurs, I saved and received help from a variety of business folks with various disciplines.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
It has everything to do with my business. All of our designs are rooted in Latino culture telling a story that transcend boundaries and appeal to anyone who likes to be on the cutting edge of fashion.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
I think it’s more of how you think. I work a lot on positive thinking and stay away from cynical thinking. I focus on five key behaviors: awareness, acceptance, letting go, taking risks and generating.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Our current economy is challenging everyone. We are analyzing several bright spots in the apparel industry and are developing new line extensions.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
Gregorio is a young company and in the field of play there are moving parts which we are modifying continuously. In a few years I should be able to narrow down my response.

What was your childhood ambition?
As a child I wanted to be a Formula One racecar driver. However, I also had a vision that I would be president of a large corporation.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
The entrepreneurs I admire are Thomas Edison for his tenacity, Bill Gates/Paul Allen for their vision and Jesús Chavarría for giving Latinos a platform of inspiration.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
I like lunch for business meetings.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
It’s a balancing act with the family activities. As an entrepreneur you are “on” 24/7, therefore, I think my relationship with my wife suffers the most, however, we both understand that we are a team and we take on life one day at a time.

What is your favorite quote?
My favorite quote is from Thomas Edison, “I haven’t failed; I’ve just succeeded in finding 999 ways how not to do it.”

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Yes, but think of our world without computers, ipods, Amazon, cell phones etc.

Biggest mistake made?
I have made many but overall I think it boils down to seeing an opportunity and not capitalizing on that opportunity.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes, I consider myself an innovator. Successful businesses understand that growth is achieved when innovation is constant. A business will not stay alive if they continue to conduct business as usual.

About the Company
Gregorio is a new apparel company rooted in Latino culture, celebrating the vibrant spirit of Latino life with a unique elegant line of men's neckwear. These stunning handmade one-of-a-kind 100% premium silk ties, known in Spanish as Corbatas, feature designs that carry over the exquisite colors and images of the Latino culture more often observed through art, architectural styles and pottery.

Our goal is to dress today's fashion conscious person for their day at the office or for the social professional occasion with an accessory which allows him or her to feel the pride and exhibit the beauty of the Latino culture.

www.gregorioties.com

Gregory Keough > www.RegaloCard.com

Gregory Keough, Founder, RegaloCard.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
A good idea and a positive can do attitude.


What did inspire you to start your business?
RegaloCard was founded to replace costly money transfer services like western union and moneygram. Money transfers are a huge market but they are 1. Costly, 2. Not instant, 3. Don’t allow the sender to control how is money is used, all key element to the person sending the money. At RegaloCard we looked at the current model and found it flawed, and we developed the RegaloCard system which accomplishes the same thing as the typical money transfer but is free and delivered instantly using mobile technology and also allows the person sending the money transfer to assure their money is spent by choosing the gift card of the retail brand where he wants the recipient to spend the money. The RegaloCard solution answers the clear consumer desire for a more friendly and cheaper, in this case free, way to send their money transfers back home to their home countries.

How did you finance it?
We invested $5 million to develop the technology and infrastructure.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
RegaloCard was founded with the idea to provide Latinos a free and instant money transfer system so our business is all about serving the US Hispanic market well with an innovative solution that both saves them money and improves their control over the money they send back home.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
The fundamental belief that RegaloCard has developed a superior business proposition and model to the current large incumbents like Western Union, Moneygram and others.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Launching new technologies is always a challenge, but at RegaloCard I think we made a very easy to use system that has made a previously cumbersome process much faster, easier, and cheaper.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
Nothing yet.

What was your childhood ambition?
Always was interested in business.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Steve Jobbs, best marketer of all time.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Dinner.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
With my first company I was all consumed with the business above all else. Now, after founding 4 different companies, I think I have learned to balance much more successfully family and business, family always is top priority.

What is your favorite quote?
Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes. Oscar Wilde

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
I think it is not necessarily unconventional to see things in a new way. At RegaloCard we looked at the $200B annual business of money transfers which has existed for ages and just looked at it from a different angle. By allowing people to send Gift Cards to specific retailers in their home countries and using the latest mobile payment technology we created a free instant money transfer that we believe will replace the current costly systems.

Biggest mistake made?
Too many to list.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I would like to consider myself an innovator and think in the case of RegaloCard we have taken the money transfer industry dominated by Western Union and Moneygram that have operated in much the same way for ages with their high fees, having to visit the bank to pick up your money, and no way for the consumer to control how their money is spent. Compare this with RegaloCard where the service is free, instant, and the sender can control how their money is spent and I think it represents the essence of healthy innovation.

About the Company.
RegaloCard, www.RegaloCard.com, is a revolutionary new type of Gift Card that uses a proprietary mobile payment technology to allow immigrant groups to instantly send their relatives back home what they need absolutely free. RegaloCard is a prepaid gift card that you can buy in the United States, but is delivered instantly to the person you choose in your home country, to make purchases at leading local retailers. The RegaloCard service works with any mobile phone and carrier worldwide and is the best way for immigrants to send their families the things they need. While initially focusing on the US Hispanic market, RegaloCard plans to expand the service to other regions that have a high level of immigrants residing in the US. For more information visit www.RegaloCard.com

Diony Elias > www.newcityinvestment.com

Diony Elias, Founder and President, New City Investment Solutions, LLC. And founder of The Epix Group LLC.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
In order to be an entrepreneur, a person needs an idea and a tenacious devotion to execute that idea. One also needs relentless faith in their vision and the ability to be resilient.

What did inspire you to start your business?
I was inspired by: a) Justin Moore, my real estate business partner, b) Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad and c) Hip Hop entrepreneurship, Jay-Z in particular.

How did you finance it?
I financed both my businesses by living under my means. I sacrificed autonomy by living at home for four years. As a result, I was able to build enough capital to buy NCI's first property and finance The Epix Group's first event. Albeit personally financed, I'm always looking for investors to help my businesses grow.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Yes - being Hispanic does have an influence on both my businesses. I'm always socially conscious of how to make a philanthropic impact in the Hispanic community. For example, EPIX has partnered with non-profit organizations that focus on Hispanic, educational initiatives. NCI invests in low-income, Hispanic communities in hopes of aesthetically improving their neighborhoods' condition. We also work with first-time homebuyers.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
This is a good question - adversity is definitely prevalent. I think about how much I dislike sitting at a corporate desk, with no control of my own time. I value my time above all.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
NCI is not generating properties as fast as I would like due to the overall real estate market. Banks are not as benevolent and investors are "playing it safe" now-a-days, even if NCI does have an impeccable track record on return. EPIX is at the brink of becoming a major player in New York City, but needs to raise marketing dollars in order for our products to receive more exposure.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I wish we would've hired more summer interns [smile].

What was your childhood ambition?
To become an attorney

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Robert Kiyosaki, a real estate investors that believes in cash flow properties (buy, hold, rent, profit). Jay-Z, a multi-millionaire who became something from nothing. My mother, who taught me the fundamentals and importance of saving money as a child.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
All three

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I had to live at home under my mother's rules until the age of 27, before I could buy my personal home and quit my job.

What is your favorite quote?
"9 - 5 is how you survive. I'm not trying to survive, I'm trying to live it to the limit and love it a lot." - Jay-Z

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Not at all, I love being unconventional. No one's at the gym when I work out [smile].

Biggest mistake made?
I once lost 3k trying to sell Madonna tickets. I failed to market a good product properly. I made a good date out of it.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Absolutely, everyday as an entrepreneur a problem arises and I have to think of creative solutions.

About the Companies.
New City Investment Solutions, LLC (NCI) is a real estate investment company that focuses on residential development. NCI specializes in providing investment opportunities and educational resources to both investors and homeowners. NCI develops, owns and manages residential real estate in the greater Philadelphia area.
www.newcityinvestment.com

The Epix Group, LLC - Founder and Director of Operations
The Epix Group, LLC is a promotional marketing company focused on redefining lifestyle and brand experiences for our clients. Our services include brand marketing, venue consultation, corporate and special events, nightlife promotions and high-end concierge services. EPIX has been successfully operating and accommodating clients in New York, Miami and Las Vegas since 2005.
www.theepixgroup.com

Mariela Dabbah > www.latinosincollege.com

Mariela Dabbah, Owner, LatinosinCollege.com

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
I think you need four key things:
1) You need to have a passion for what you do because that passion is what will drive you forward.
2) You have to be immune to rejection because no matter what you do, you will have to “sell” yourself. Everything is about relationships and this is never truer than for an entrepreneur.
3) You have to be perseverant in the face of challenges, rejection or closed doors.
4) And you have to have the ability to live with uncertainty as you will be creating your own income and sometimes, you won’t know where your next check will be coming from.

What inspired you to start your business?
The desire to make my own decisions and have control over my schedule and over what projects I get involved with.

How did you finance it?
Because I’m a writer, a speaker and a consultant, I didn’t need too much money to start. But in the beginning I asked my parents to help me out until I could get my first few clients.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Everything I do is to help Latinos improve their lives and navigate the American system successfully, so being Hispanic gives me the understanding of the culture needed to develop books and programs from the perspective of the audience I’m addressing.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
I have a positive outlook on life so when I face adversity I call my friends and colleagues and get advice on how to move forward.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
To launch a nationwide public awareness campaign to help increase the number of Latinos who graduate from college in February 09 when all everyone is talking about is the economy!

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
Nothing, I really love what I do and it’s going well!

What was your childhood ambition?
To be a writer.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
I’ll just mention one for now: Mariebelle the founder of Mariebelle Fine Chocolates because she took a product like chocolate and turned it into a unique experience by combining excellent quality with some fabulous branding.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Whatever works for everyone involved. I think being flexible is part of having a winning attitude.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
For several years I had no life! No vacations, no weekends, no holiday breaks… but it all paid off and I always enjoyed what I did so much that I didn’t notice. (Well, maybe I did notice a little…)

What is your favorite quote?
I don’t really live by quotes but I enjoy the expression of a famous Argentine comedian: “Whenever it has rained, it has stopped.” It helps me get over difficult times as it reminds me that at some point everything comes to an end.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
I’m not sure. I guess this is part of my personality so for me it comes easy. What is hard is to come up with new ideas that work in the market.

Biggest mistake made?
Not having focused on my work in the media earlier.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I think I do. I’m constantly coming up with new ideas that I am able to implement quickly. I tend to be ahead of the curve which is at the same time exciting and very challenging because when you do that, you have to educate your market and that takes a huge effort.

About the Company.
As an author, speaker and consultant, the focus of my company is to help Latinos navigate the American system successfully. My areas of expertise are: education, parent involvement in education, job search and career advancement.
www.tuvozentuvida.com

Martha Diaz > www.hiphopassociation.org

Martha Diaz, Founder, Hip Hop Association

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
To be an entrepreneur you must be able to sell a product or service for a profitable return. The product or service doesn’t necessary need to be socially responsible or good for the people. I consider myself a social entrepreneur, someone who sells products and services to solve a problem that affects society.

What did inspire you to start your business?
As a filmmaker and educator, I was frustrated by the lack of opportunities, resources, and platforms available to those who wish to use Hip-Hop culture as a tool to communicate, and empower the community. Instead of getting mad, I created my own platform, resources, and opportunities. I began with an idea of Hip-Hop film festival and then created a Hip-Hop education summit, until it became a full-fledged organization.

How did you finance it?
I used social capital; I started by organizing my community and gathered people who were feeling the same way. I also used my own funds to support my vision.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Hispanics have certainly been influential in my business; Hip-Hop culture was started in the Bronx by African American, Caribbean, and Hispanic youths. Being Hispanic has allowed me to go beyond the US and reach Hip-Hop members from Latin American, and Spanish speakers in Europe, Canada, and Australia.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
I never let adversity stop me from getting the work done. I usually choose to scale down or find alternative solutions.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Our biggest challenge is acquiring monetary funds. We always have to tap into our social capital whenever we can’t raise funds. Another big challenge is getting the publicity for the work that we do; the celebrities are always outshining us.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I would have started our distribution initiative sooner because of its earned income potential.

What was your childhood ambition?
I have always wanted to solve the world problems and help those who have been marginalized and disenfranchised. I especially wanted to care for the youth and sick people because they are so vulnerable. I remember wanting to cure cancer because my grandmother died of cancer at a young age.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire
Florence Nightingale – Despite the disapproval of her mother, Nightingale, an affluent upper class woman chose to become a nurse in 1845. Amongst her many accomplishments, this statistician cared for the poor and was a pioneer in the medical and education fields.
Mohammad Yunus - Bangladeshi banker, economist and 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Yunus, is the founder of the Grameen Bank. As a professor of economics, he developed the concept of microcredit that provides loans to entrepreneurs too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans.
Paulina Maestre – Paulina was my grandmother, who worked at a telecommunications company as an operator, assisted the Governor’s office, and ran a bed and breakfast out of her home to raise 12 children in Valledupar, Colombia.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Any of these will do, as long as: You are able to make it on time, don’t overeat or get drunk.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I have sacrificed my two children to give to many. If it wasn’t for my mother helping me to care for my daughters, I would not be able to do as much as I do. I have also sacrificed my own personal time, funds, and friends in order to keep the business going.

What is your favorite quote?
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. ~ Margaret Mead

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Absolutely difficult, especially when people can’t envision the change or break old habits.

Biggest mistake made?
My biggest mistake is that I didn’t begin sooner.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I consider myself an innovator because I have helped set a new standard and way of participating within Hip-Hop culture that transcends Hip-Hop. I am also the first woman to receive the Kool Herc Award. The highest recognition in Hip-Hop culture given by the Father of Hip-Hop.

About the Company
Formed in 2002, the Hip-Hop Association [H2A] is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community building organization. Now in its 7th year, the H2A is the recipient of the Union Square Arts Award and it’s considered one of the leading international Hip-Hop institutions. The mission of the H2A is to facilitate social justice, education and media reform, cross-cultural understanding, economic sustainability, and civic engagement, while preserving Hip-Hop culture for scholarship and future generations. The H2A empowers the community through programming, youth and leadership development, human rights advocacy, educational resources, and distribution mechanisms. www.hiphopassociation.org

Al Costa > www.1hourflex.com

Al Costa, Owner, Alkol Inc.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Basically to be able to work alone. If you can´t be by yourself long periods of the day then don´t even try, because that´s exactly what you´ll be doing in the first stages of your project.
What did inspire you to start your business?Seeing people who made it and they can provide a good standard of living for their families, while others are subject to jobs they cannot control and thus live in fear.

How did you finance it?
Good question. How did I do it? I don´t know, one dollar a time?

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
None: the US is very open to all nationalities. If you show VALUE then you are in!

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
By knowing that´s just part of the game, routine, and that will repeat itself.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Finding capable people to work with.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
Its address! If it could be located in Palo Alto then it´d be much cheaper for me to pitch VCs!

What was your childhood ambition?
Being a world-known scientist.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire
Steve Jobs, Vinod Khosla, and ESPECIALLY Richard Branson

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Breakfast: people are much more receptive, there´s a sense of "this is a new day" that helps a lot.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Missed lots of parties and merry good fun!

What is your favorite quote?
"No battle was ever won while hiding behind walls" Napoleon Bonaparte

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Very: you get fed up of being called genius today by the very same guy who called you crazy yesterday.

Biggest mistake made?
Bet 6 years in the music industry: they still think the internet does not exist.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I remember when I was in college I was called "gadget man" because I had gizmos that nobody even knew existed, and for me they were the most common thing in the world.

About the Company
Alkol Inc is the maker of the "1HourFlex" conversion device that allows any car to run on any amount of gasoline or ethyl alcohol using BRAZILIAN technology. Brazil has been running 1/2 of its fleet on 100% ethanol for the past 30 years, and therefore has unmatched experience. Alkol Inc brings that experience into a range of products that allow everyone to save on the gas pump and polluting less.

Doctora Aliza > VidaySalud.com

Doctora Aliza, Owner, VidaySalud.com

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
If you look at some definitions of entrepreneur you’ll find they say that you need to be willing to put EVERYTHING ON THE LINE FOR THE PASSION AND LOVE of seeing your enterprise grow... and sometimes live with several failures. I believe you need to be passionate about what you believe in and work hard to get it.

What did inspire you to start your business?
The VidaySalud.com website was born of the need to provide accurate, scientifically-based information for a community that didn’t have it. There are many excellent websites in English where people can get health information when they need it. VidaySalud.com is not only in Spanish but it provides the information in a culturally sensitive way to a community that often doesn’t have access to health services. Or that, because of language barriers, has difficulty communicating with its healthcare providers. This website will not replace their physicians but will help answer some of their questions or help them know what questions to ask when they go to see their doctors next time.

How did you finance it?
This is a venture that my husband and I believe in and we’ve capitalized it ourselves.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Of course! This is a business by Hispanics for Hispanics.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
I’ve always been an optimist. When I chose to go to medical school in Mexico City, where I was born, women didn’t go to medical school. Everyone, including my parents, discouraged me from going, because they wanted me to have a career and they thought I wouldn’t finish. And, even if I finished, that it would be very hard to be able to combine a family life with a professional life. Needless to say they were very supportive once I decided to start and very proud when I finished. You can see the glass half full or half empty. You can fight for what you believe in or give up. If you have a passion and love what you do and work hard for it, I believe the rest will follow. Especially with something like this that I believe will help so many people.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
It is brand new, we just announced it. The biggest challenge so far has been that when we originally planned our project and started structuring it and building the website the economy was not in as bad shape as it is today and we are the sole investors. This is the biggest challenge. But it has been received with lots of enthusiasm by potential sponsors so we’re very excited and hopeful.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
Maybe starting a year earlier.

What was your childhood ambition?
Doing something creative that would help people and would change the world. I’m happy to say that medicine has allowed me to do that.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire
Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Warren Buffet . They have not only been successful entrepreneurs but they’ve given back to society.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Lunch

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I’ve been working very long hours in my profession. This has made me spend less time with my family, my friends and have less personal time. At least the good news about the website is that it is a venture with my husband.

What is your favorite quote?
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Sometimes. But if I were different I wouldn’t be me.

Biggest mistake made?
There are things I might have done differently, but I’m not sure that I would necessarily call them a mistake. They may have turned out better…or worse.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes. I believe that I’ve been an innovator in the way I’ve been bringing public health information to the Latino community through my media career and the culmination of this innovation is in my website.

About the Company
VidaySalud.com™, which launched on June 1, 2009, is published by Cultural Asset Management Inc. of Santa Monica, California. Its mission is to be the most widely recognized and trusted provider of Spanish-language health information, across all media.

VidaySalud.com™ is edited by Univision, People en Español, Ser Padres and impreMedia health expert Aliza Lifshitz, M.D., better known to the Latino community as la Doctora Aliza.

“No one is more trusted on health by the Latino community than la Doctora Aliza,” according to Carl Kravetz, the site’s publisher and a 25-year veteran of Hispanic advertising and Past Chairman of the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies. “With her as Editor in Chief and with science-based content delivered in the warm, caring style she is known for, VidaySalud.com™ is unmatched in credibility.”

The VidaySalud.com™ hub is the largest permanent source of health information and wellness tools in Spanish on the web. It includes “Health A to Z,” the Harvard Medical School’s searchable database of symptoms, diseases and treatments, as well as original health content, updated daily and created especially with the U.S. Hispanic community in mind. Eleven bi-weekly email newsletters on a variety of health topics are available through free registration. Interactive health tools will be added as they are developed with sponsor support.

VidaySalud.com™ is a tangible expression of Dr. Lifshitz’s commitment to public health. Its content is designed to enhance the relationships between Latino patients and their physicians by giving Hispanics the information, tools and skills they need to better communicate with their doctors, to ensure better compliance with physician instructions and to deliver better health outcomes.

VidaySalud.com™ is working closely with the Doctora Aliza Foundation, whose mission is to increase the number of Hispanic health professionals being educated in the United States through medical and nursing school scholarships and outreach to High School guidance counselors.

Juan Silvera > www.hispanicsmb.com

Juan Silvera, Owner, HispanicSMB.com

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Two things primarily: total conviction that your business concept is a winner and the tenacity to pursue your dream business through thick and thin.

What did inspire you to start your business?
I always wanted to do something that could have a positive impact on the many Latinos and Latinas that dream of owning their own business here in the United States.

How did you finance it?
Self financed. I wanted to make a point that with the technology available to us today we can reach thousands of people without making a significant investment from the get go.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Yes. Networking and community building are things that are instinctive to many Hispanics and it just so happens that they are critical to succeeding in business.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
I always remind myself that nothing that is worth building is ever easy. I am convinced that what I am doing is important and can have a meaningful, positive impact on others and that keeps me going.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
It is very difficult to achieve critical mass without significant marketing and PR investment. Many small businesses grow nicely at an organic rate but taking it to the next level is never easy.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
We would love to partner with a larger media organization that could help us expose our product to the hundreds of thousands of potential Hispanic small businesses that are not yet taking advantage of the free resources our site
provides.

What was your childhood ambition?
Simply to be happy. To this day it is still my primary goal in life.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire
1. David Segura, CEO of VisionIT. David has single handedly built the most successful Hispanic-owned business IT shop in the United States. I’ve met David and his success is humbling.
2. The Google Guys. They basically re-defined a medium and created an entire industry category while making a few billions along the way.
3. My dad, Manuel Silvera. He ran his own travel agency (back in the days before the Internet) and built a niche market by catering to the cash-only Hispanic market. It worked.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Dinner.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I can think of many futbol games I missed on Fox Sports because I was working on the site.

What is your favorite quote?
“Good things come to those who wait, but not to those who wait too late.”

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
No. It is more difficult to be “conventional.”

Biggest mistake made?
Not starting a business right out of college.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I think so. Innovation is not just about thinking out of the box. Innovation is also identifying underserved niches in the market and I think with HispanicSMB.com we have done just that.

About the Company
Juan Silvera is editor and publisher of HispanicSMB.com, the online community for the 1.6 million Hispanic-owned small and medium sized businesses in the United States. The site provides depth of resources, content and community for the fast growing Latino business community. HispanicSMB.com the ideal platform for marketers wishing to reach Hispanic business owners, entrepreneurs and managers -- an affluent and highly desirable but elusive segment of the market.

Karen Davis > www.qventures.tv

Karen Davis, Owner and Founder, QVentures.TV

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Three "P's": Passion, perseverance and a pot-full of money( or at least the patience and diligence to go out and find it.) Plus I think you need a sense of humor and an ability to be your own best cheerleader.

What did inspire you to start your business?
Being laid off or going through a massive corporate restructuring has the effect on people of either making themselves doubt or self-motivate. I took the latter position. I am motivated by nay-sayers. Tell me it can't be done or has never been done and I am your gal.

How did you finance it?
Self-financed along with advertising sales & licensing revenues.

Being Hispanic, does it have any influence on your business?
I am not Hispanic, but have "un alma latina." For over twenty years I have been at the forefront of the Latin American and US Hispanic media industry, helping employ hundreds of people, launching new businesses and raising millions of dollars in revenues. Comes from an early passion with all things "en español."

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
Eternal optimism and hope. And looking at my six-year old son.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Small minded people who don't understand big ideas. And running out of money.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
In my business, I'd like to have easier access to capital for start-ups.
In the industry, I'd love to see the day when more Board members and key decision-makers in Hispanic broadcasting, Internet and Mobile were women.

What was your childhood ambition?
To be a pilot or a "lexicographer."

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire
Bill Gates- not just for the obvious reasons. More so for his decision to leave Microsoft and dedicate his time and fortune to his foundation and humanitarian work.
Fernando Espuelas- an eternal optimist who not only made and lost a $500 million fortune but has rebounded, re-made himself and is truly a great, generous guy.
My husband, Nick Athanassiadis, who is probably the smartest man I know.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Breakfast but not before 8am or lunch.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
When most of my friends and colleagues were marrying and starting families, I was on planes, in hotels or in foreign countries launching new businesses, first in Eastern Europe, then in Latin America.
For me, there were times that felt like I was sacrificing a "way of life" but, in truth, it was more exhilarating and gratifying than sacrificial. My health was probably the one thing I really consider a "sacrifice"as I neglected to incorporate good eating, exercise and sleeping habits into my daily routine and instead was always on the go.
It took its toll on me a few times and has convinced me that health, spirituality, family must be included with work to have a complete and fulfilling life. Otherwise one’s "center" is just too far away and challenges become daunting.

What is your favorite quote?
"El mundo es un pañuelo."

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Compared to being conventional? I wouldn't know.

Biggest mistake made?
I think if I've made mistakes in business it was in hiring the wrong people for particular positions. I can think of two instances where that was the case and I knew they were wrong for the job in my gut both times and still hired them.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Absolutely. My career has been one of many "firsts" and to me that is the definition of an innovator: someone who dreams up an idea or is faced with a new situation and makes it a reality, first.
First Creative Director for HBO's International ventures. First Exec Producer, launching MTV in Spanish language in US and Latin America. First to sign a major US sports league deal with a Spanish TV network.
Convincing consumers in Hungary to purchase a brand called "H-B-O" when the letter "H" doesn't exist in their language . What I do well is seize upon an idea and bring it to life in a way that works for all its share- and stakeholders.
If there's a need, I work hard to find a solution.

About the Company:
Ventures is a new kind of company dedicated to the concept of sustainable media
Developing programs and applications that, from inception, are created using a three -screen strategy: to reach consumers where, when and how they consume on-air, online and on hand-held devices:

Programs that give back to society
Enhance consumer’s ability to be entertained and empowered while increasing advertisers' reach
Ensure that those involved SUSTAIN their businesses during these tough times

Tanya Trahtemberg > www.tanyatrahtemberg.com

Tanya Trahtemberg, Owner & Jewelry Designer, Tanya Trahtemberg.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Vision, Perseverance, and Lots of Patience

What did inspire you to start your business?
The need to be independent and successful.

How did you finance it?
Little by little... always re-investing in what I believed.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
A great deal, inspiration comes from my roots and also from my background.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
I have deep convictions on my mission of life, that is what definitely keeps me going.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Having to start over again!

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
The system... it always gets stuck at one time or another.

What was your childhood ambition?
Reach peoples hearts, live a happy and peaceful life.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire
My grandfather, uncle and brother.... they have definitely influenced my vision of business.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Mainly dinner, that way I don't get interrupted from work.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Investing much time at work though it really doesn't feel like a sacrifice to me, I enjoy doing what I do.

What is your favorite quote?
There is not a more certain sign of insanity than to do the same thing over and over again, and expect the results to be different. Albert Einstein

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Not really, it just takes a creative mind... and courage.

Biggest mistake made?
Fighting with friends and family over work...

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes I do, I like to create solutions for people, and put a smile on their face.

About the Company:
Tanya Trahtemberg was born into the fourth generation of a family of jewelers who have made their mark in the industry since 1905. From the beginning, her Italian Great-Grandfather set the standard of quality and finesse that has guided Tanya through her years in the business.

Jewelry design is an inspiration that comes from within; it cannot be taught. Creating exceptional jewelry comes from years of experience. Head designer Tanya Trahtemberg has both.

The Tanya Trahtemberg workshop is located in the heart of the trendy business district of Miraflores, in Lima, Peru, close to the main store. This allows for a smooth flow of ideas between the designer and her jewelers.
Tanya is constantly traveling to find the most unique stones for which she designs exclusive pieces: hand carved Peruvian stones, tourmalines from Brazil, emeralds from Colombia, diamonds from Israel and many others. Inspiration comes from these travels and from the stones themselves.

All pieces are handmade with the utmost attention to detail. We only use 18 karat yellow and white gold or sterling silver to create these beautiful pieces that will become an integral part of your life.

For more information: http://www.tanyatrahtemberg.com/

Mauricio T. Lizarazo > www.pachamamaculture.com

Mauricio Tigges Lizarazo, Founder, Pachamama Culture.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Among many things, essentially I believe one needs Emotional capital; the aspiration, passion and perseverance to reach your dreams and succeed.

What did inspire you to start your business?
Passion for music, cultures and business. I've been involved with music from both sides, artistically and economically, since I was a teenager. Consequently it has become my lifestyle, the way I approach life and embrace opportunities.

How did you finance it?
Back in Berlin, I received support from the State to develop the concept of Pachamama Culture in the German Market. Back then it was a very small capital, but it got me to start establishing contacts, presenting music artists live and internationally.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Producing Latin-Alternative artists with Hispanic origins gives that sense of concentrations and know-how while networking and working outside the specific niche markets.
In the Hispanic/Latin entertainment and media market, it requires being determined about the Hispanic origins towards professionalism and efficient business models practices.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
As mentioned, Passion through self-motivation. I’m committed to keep trying, achieving small results one-at-a-time motivates me to reach better results on the projects I’m involved in the mid-long term. In the meantime I’m learning and enjoying the ride.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Building up further a positive and professional reputation in an industry with questionable business models. The lack of reliability one encounters on potential partners and people in the entertainment and media industry it’s a constant challenge.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
Some business models the [Latin] music industry has been practicing. Also realiability of some individuals involve in the industry.

What was your childhood ambition?
During my childhood I dreamed being a rock star. I dreamed about being the fifth Beatle. I believe on traveling, touring and playing live music all over the planet.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire
They are what I call my three ‘R’ models:

Richard Branson (Virgin Founder & Entrepreneur). Branson is a role model on visionary independent work.

Russell Simmons (Def Jam). Simmons is a great example of commitment and deep believe into urban talent forms.

Rafael Lizarazo (Entrepreneur & Consultant). My father has showed me true satisfaction is near while you do what you love and have a sincere passion doing it.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Probably dinner, music concert and backstage networking.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Being away from my daughter. While touring, traveling, networking, studying etc. away from her is still a constant sacrifice. At the same time I’m working to resolve the geographical distance to be close to her.

What is your favorite quote?
"As you think, so you become. As you think, so you develop. As is your ideal, so gradually your life will become. This is so, because there is a great transforming power in thought." SS

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
No if it’s your lifestyle and the way you approach life, it’s part of what you are.

Biggest mistake made?
Taking decisions about a live-tour for an artist I represented relaying on a supposedly record label support that never came, waste of energy and time.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
At some grade I am. In a sense, throughout my commitment and perseverance working with Latin-Alternative artists opening opportunities at niche markets or in markets where there’s no music industry established, requires re-inventing yourself and innovative thinking and doing.

About the company:
Pachamama Culture was founded primarily as a concert management agency and has developed into a full-service venture, including booking, integrated marketing and music management for Latin Alternative artists. Currently, Pachamama Culture represents El Sie7e, La Severa Matacera internationally and Panteón Rococó in the US east-coast market. Consequently throughout executive production, the company associated with the music producers and distribution companies founding Kallpa Records, an indie label committed to license and market Pachamama Culture’s recording artists.
Please check: www.pachamamaculture.com and www.kallparecords.com

Amanda Smith > www.amandasmithcaterers.com

Amanda Smith, Owner, Amanda Smith Caterers.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Instinct for ideas and a passion for believing that it can happen.

What did inspire you to start your business?
Running. I was running around the reservoir in central park, thinking about the park, about the summer and the upcoming concerts... and it occured to me that there was no service that existed that provided picnic baskets for the more than 100,000 attendees of these concerts. That summer, I was the first service that did.

How did you finance it?
Initially from my savings and then from the banks - I wish I had found another alternative.

Being Hispanic... Does it have any influence on your business?
It has a cache but not an influence. The influence is more from my background living all over the world.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
I don't know.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Needing to find a way to go from a ground level to the first level and then on. Each level is a challenge because you have to sacrifice in order to be recognized.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
The structure. Too much lies on me at the moment and at this stage it is more probelematic to adjust.

What was your childhood ambition?
To be a stewardess and travel!

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Lunch - como buena Mexicana!

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Time with my daughter - time for myself.

What is your favorite quote?
Follow your fears or be lead by your passion. Anonymous

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Yes. One needs a lot of conviction and thick skin.

Biggest mistake made?
Leaving my first job when I was 21 (Mandarin Oriental Traineeship just out of college)

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I have original ideas but in my business it all so much the same that I do not consider them to be innovative, they are logical.

About the company:
Amanda Smith Caterers is a boutique catering and event planning company that services the metropolitan area. We offer foods not only from my native Mexico but from all over the world. Unlike other catering companies our interest is the food so everything is made authentically and with much attention. In addition we have an experienced crew that meets all needs with care.

Teresa Saldivar > www.teresasjewelers.com

Teresa Saldivar, Owner, Teresa's Jewelers

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Careful planning and hard work are important, but having the ability to properly and quickly execute the fundamentals is vital.
What did inspire you to start your business?
To open a business that would offer the highest standard of customer service with a professional staff that would create a positive shopping experience

How did you finance it?
Using my personal savings and financial support from my family.

Being Hispanic… Does it have any influence on your business?
Yes, being a Latina is an asset, especially because my business is located in Downtown Santa Ana, where 85 percent of the population is Latino.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
I see adversity as a challenge that allows me the opportunity to learn whether I have the capacity to endure it or the need for growth in a certain area.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
When I relocated from a 465-square-foot store with three employees to a 1735-square-foot store with seven employees and my overhead tripled overnight.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I would love not having to work weekends.

What was your childhood ambition?
That I would one day become a woman with confidence and poise.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
I admire Coco Chanel, Walt Disney, and Oprah Winfrey, each born into poverty who attained self-satisfaction by being pioneering (Chanel), visionary (Disney), and humanitarian (Winfrey).

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Breakfast or dinner, not lunch, because it keeps me away from attending to my customers.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Having to postpone my continuing education and not being able to share quality time with family and friends.

What is your favorite quote?
There can be no real freedom without the freedom to fail – Erich From

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
When you have confidence and initiative—no it is not.

Biggest mistake made?
Not having the resourcefulness to have purchased the building where my business stands.

Do you consider yourself an innovator?
Yes, because I introduced avant-garde jewelry to my Latino customers—a culture that is supposed to be status quo.

About the Company
Nowhere in Orange County will you find a better selection of religious medals or quinceañera jewelry. As a certified gemologist, Teresa can create your custom design for any occasion. Teresa is currently President of the California Jewelers Association

Teresa Saldivar, a Santa Ana native, graduated Santa Ana College and attended California State University at Long Beach. In 1985, after ten years of working in the jewelry industry, Teresa became the first Latina gemologist to own a jewelry store in California. Along with her sister, Patricia, Teresa's Jewelers has been in the same location at the heart of Downtown Santa Ana for over 20 years!

Julieta Caracoche > www.altuntunno.com

Sofia Lanusse (top) and Julieta Caracoche (bottom), Founders, Al tun tun No

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?

A free spirit and a strong will.

What did inspire you to start your business?

Our love for Buenos Aires and art, the good living, smart people and designer shoes.

How did you finance it?

We had some money from our families. But not much.

Being Hispanic… Does it have any influence on your business?

A lot. We are warm people in Buenos Aires, and our job is to show around the very best spots where hot latin blood flows.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?

We decide to believe in the project.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?

To make us know with no funds.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?

We have quite a lot of fun with our job. We like the things how they are, so far..

What was your childhood ambition?

Julieta: I wanted to be a dancer and a writer. I dance quite a lot and still plan to be a writer. A good one.

Sofía: When I was a child I wanted to be an artist, I've always love painting and drawing; and arqueologist, I love that feeling when you find somethnig amazing out of nowhere.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?

Benedikt Taschen. He started as a comic collector and then created "Taschen" that made art books accesible for everybody.

Eduardo Costantini: He is a self made man also passioned about art, and created a great museum (MALBA) that is a gift for Buenos Aires and its visitors.

J. K. Rowling: We love thinking of her sitting in cold London, writting on a napkin such a success as Harry Potter.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

Lunch and a sunny day.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?

Sleeping hours.

What is your favorite quote?

"Al tuntún no!" "Al tuntún no!"

Is it difficult to be unconventional?

No, it's very natural. We were born this way.

Biggest mistake made?

We didn't have a possitive attitude in the very beggining. Fortunately we changed our energy and things begun to work.

Do you consider yourself an innovator?

Yes. Al tuntún no was an idea that just came to us, and no one was doing the tours we have created.

About the Company

"Al tuntún no" is the first agency of high trend tourism for women in Buenos Aires. They offered cool tours around the city: cultural and shopping tours. The favorite of many is the shoe-shopping tour, a day dedicated to buy shoes, handbags and accessories, have lunch at a chic restaurant or take a delicious tea, accompanied by a chauffeur during the entire journey.

The girls of "Al tuntún no" are a team of young locals, passionate for art, fashion, shoes and good living, who accompany their clients during the tours, advising and showing them places and secrets of this fascinating city. A good option for women who travel alone, or for businessmen, who may travel with their partners, and prefer not to leave them getting bored in the hotel room.

Maria Eugenia Price > www.miamariu.com

Maria Eugenia Price, Founder & CEO, Mía Mariú LLC

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
You need a dream, passion, drive, tenacity and most importantly faith.

What did inspire you to start your business?
A desire to help others in a market with unmet needs.

How did you finance it?
To date it has been self-funded.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?

Being Hispanic is our identity it is who we are and what we do. Our company is exclusively dedicated to meet the beauty and health needs of Latina women.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
Faith that God is ultimately in control and that all things work for the good.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Our business is relationship based. Finding the right people is key. Building brand takes time.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
Grow faster. Every entrepreneur wants to grow their business fast. However, it is important to be realistic about how long it really takes to build a sustainable business.

What was your childhood ambition?
Travel the world, I was blessed I got a chance to visit a lot of wonderful places before I embarked on my entrepreneurial journey.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Cristina Saralegui for having evolved into a great media personality and a great example of success for Latina women reaching the American Dream.

Richard Branson for his brilliant ability to diversify his businesses with a very unique business approach and management style

Mary C. Crowley Founder of Home Interiors & Gifts who created a multi-million dollar company with a unique mission: to lead others to seek their highest potential by honoring God and blessing and serving others.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Definitely lunch, it is easier to stay focused.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Time with family as well as time for myself at times has become sacrificed but I believe you must continuously fill your cup so you can give your business the energy it needs from you. If you don’t take care of yourself, who will take care of your business?

What is your favorite quote?
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
You have to be unconventional to try something you have never tried before. This entails taking risks and facing your biggest fears. You have to be willing to take the risk and face your fears if you want to achieve success.

Biggest mistake made?
Everyone makes mistakes, the important thing is to learn from them. Mistakes happen, it is part of life.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I believe there are markets that are underserved, when you meet the market needs that can be called innovative. In our case, we have taken the traditional direct sales model and made it into a more innovative relevant model for today’s woman. We have also developed a targeted product line that really addresses the needs of Latina women. We are the first to do this in the direct sales industry, I believe some might consider this innovative.

About the Company

Mía Mariú is dedicated to serve and fulfill the beauty and health needs of Latinas. Mía Mariú offers an innovative business opportunity. Mía Mariú markets a line of products that nourishes and protects skin with a color line of products and techniques specifically designed for the diverse skin tones of Latinas, as well as a natural-based Skin Care Treatment line and line of nutritional supplements with natural ingredients known in Latin cultures for their health benefits. Based in Dallas, Texas, Mía Mariú products are sold through a national network of Independent Associates. For more information, please visit www.miamariu.com

Carlos Zuniga > www.bessibycarloszuniga.com

Carlos Zuniga, Owner, Bessi Fashion Shoe Line

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?

A dream and perseverance.

What did inspire you to start your business?

My creativity and the dream of becoming a designer.

How did you finance it?

I financed the first couple of years. I later got an "Angel Investor", also known as my parents.

Being Hispanic… Does it have any influence on your business?

Absolutely. The design aesthetics of my work are highly influenced by my Latin culture.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?

Success stories keep me going. There are many others who have had to struggle much harder than I ever have. So ultimately any obstacle can be a blessing.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?

Bessi is a fairly new line. The biggest challenge has been management and operations. When all you know is creativity and fashion, it's hard to understand business development. It took a lot of research.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?

I'm actually quite content with my business and the direction it is going.

What was your childhood ambition?

To be free. To love what you do and be great at it.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?

My parents, hands down. Also, my very good friend Vincent. He accomplished his dream at only 26. His positive energy is amazing.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

Dinner in Shanghai, Rome, or Miami!!

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?

Well, let's just say I dedicate a lot more time at this than other things. As far as success, that is an ongoing challenge.

What is your favorite quote?

"Dejate de vainas"

Is it difficult to be unconventional?

Yes. It requires discipline.

Biggest mistake made?

Ha, plenty of those. I just try to turn them around.

Do you consider yourself an innovator?

An innovator in the way I project my designs, yes.

Born in New Orleans, son of a soccer star and an international executive, Carlos Zuniga began designing at a very young age. Educated at the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale, the design aesthetic of Latin-American Carlos Zuniga encompasses cultural values of Miami, New Orleans and Latin America. It is evident in Zuniga’s work that many of his designs are influenced by Miami’s lifestyle. Inspired by the sexy, confident Latin woman, Carlos seeks to compliment all women with their beauty with his designs. Beginning in 2006, Zuniga began his project while living in Miami by sketching concepts for friends. Believing that shoes can very well compliment a woman, and having a keen eye for fashion, his designs were quickly noticed. After a strong demand to begin his own line, his entrepreneurial spirit led him to develop his very own line of women’s shoes called Bessi by Carlos Zuniga. The line is named after his greatest inspiration, his mother. Today, Bessi by Carlos Zuniga continues developing its collection and will exclusively be available in March 2009 at www.bessibycarloszuniga.com

Anthony Reyes > www.reyesclothinginc.com

Anthony Reyes, President & CEO Reyes Clothing Company

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
I come from a humble hard working Latin family , to be a entrepreneur the first things is never to let no one or anything say you can not do it , you need ambition , motivation, will and the most important thing is to believe in yourself.
What did inspire you to start your business?
It all started in HS , I found out I have a secret love for art and ever since I use to just do graffiti everywhere until the time came and started making money out of it , and now I put my art my vision and thoughts on clothes, and from there is where Reyes Clothing Inc came. I saw it as a great opportunity to take my ideas to the next level.

How did you finance it?
It all came out of pocket and then from money I made I put it back in untill now and just thank god it keep on growing.

Being Hispanic...Does it have any influence on your business?
Yes it does it allows me to expand my market without limits.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
I don't let no one tell me it can not be done. I believe in myself and know that I ( Reyes Clothing Comp Inc ) will be a power house and one of the best in the business.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Like any other new business owner: capital , customers , clients ,but as time goes by you, as an individual, grow and so does the company, because without a challenge what is the point.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
As times comes I'm sure I will change things around for the best.

What was your childhood ambition?
LOL I always said one day I will buy the block were I live.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Oscar De La Renta: He has a vision for clothes and is a Latino like myself: He has overcome some rough time not only in his personal life but also in the business side .

Sun Tzu: He was a General but a very wise man.

Bill Gates of what a small idea may become the leading company in the world

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Reyes Clothing is open for business 24 hr a day 7 days a week

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I have sacrificed my personal and family life to become an entrepreneur

What is your favorite quote?
Why wait for tomorrow

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
This is who I am.

Biggest mistake made?
None

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes I do. I give fashion a new look, a new style and some real crazy ideas. Reyes Clothing Co. Inc. is a new upcoming company full with energy, drive, and determination, a company for the people by the people, always using some of the best materials in the business and very unique designs sure to be liked by you all. See website www.reyesclethinginc.com

Natasha Khost > www.ananatai.com

Natasha Khost Co-Founder Ananatai Collections, Inc

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
We come from humble backgrounds, so to be an entrepreneur we had to start with a dream. You need ambition and motivation to go where you never thought you would go. You need drive and determination to make that dream a true part of your reality.

What did inspire you to start your business?
We knew we wanted to do something great with jewelry. We knew we could introduce not only our own unique designs and creations, but also that of our own countries. We saw it as a great opportunity to take our ideas and really take it to the next level; to showcase our jewelry and to become profitable by doing so.That's why we eventually decided to create Ananatai Collections, Inc.

How did you finance it?
We are a small business. We financed it with our own money and in the very beginning, with a loan.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Yes it does! We feel we have a little edge and advantage being Hispanic and that we have the opportunity to introduce and showcase what it means to be Latina through the colors and designs of our jewelry.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
We have been disillusioned many times in establishing our business. Things didn't happen fast enough or we were cheated and taken advantage of because we were so new to the business. We kept going because we had faith in our dream. We did not want all of our efforts to be in vain and we thought if THEY could do it, why can't we?

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Our biggest challenge has been getting people to know that Ananatai exists. That we've "arrived". We launched our website earlier this year but we have been working on Ananatai for a few years now. Ananatai is ready to be known!

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
We are sure that as we grow, things will have to be modified and re-invented in order to be more efficient. However, right now we would not change anything.

What was your childhood ambition?
To be successful and happy.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
1. Oscar De La Renta - At only 18yrs old, he left the Dominican Republic and went off to study art and design in Spain and has since made his name renowned in the fashion industry. He truly knows his trade. His fashion designs embody what it really means to be a confident woman. and most importantly, he hasn't forgotten where he came from.

2. Bill Gates - True example of how a small business and an idea can grow to exorbitant proportions with hard work and dedication.

3. Oprah Winfrey- great personality and amazing businesswoman. She overcame a troubled childhood and is now one of the richest women in the world!

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Lunch! The day is still young and you're mind is active and ready to work!

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
The biggest sacrifice is time. The journey you go through to get the business off the ground and to help it grow requires a lot of your time and energy. If there is no dedication, there is no business and ultimately no success.

What is your favorite quote?
"...we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope." (verse from the bible)

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Sometimes it is challenging. However we have lots of creativity and ideas that it is expressed though our jewelry. Jewelry is just our medium.

Biggest mistake made?
Probably not doing this sooner.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Absolutely. We strive to provide our customers with pieces they can seldom find anywhere else...we are innovators in that way.

Ananatai is an online jewelry retailer which was started by three college friends: Ana, Natasha and Taisha, Ananatai prides itself in providing a very innovative and good quality product at a lower price than most of our competitors.
http://www.ananatai.com/

Molly Robbins > www.licenzing.com

Molly Robbins, CEO www.licenzing.com

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
To face your fear and “go for it”; be prepared and get as much knowledge about the business you are going into; surround yourself with people you can rely on for support and sound advise.

What did inspire you to start your business?
I feel we are defined by the experiences and actions of our lifetime. After 15 years I felt I had the experience and network to start a branding agency on my own.

How did you finance it?
I had an angel investor.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Yes of course. I launched my apparel brands Chucho™ and Palomita™ because of my being Hispanic. Additionally with the support of our community I am now dedicated to giving back through the Palomita™ education fund. A foundation I established to provide scholarships for Latinos in high school who want to further their education.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
As an entrepreneur I am always looking for opportunity while accepting/facing the associated risk

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Receiving payment in a timely fashion.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
We would like more clients.

What was your childhood ambition?
To become a corporate attorney.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Maria Sobrino/Lulu desserts: she has been in business now for over 20 years. She started her “gelatina” company from her desire to make something that was nostalgic from her home Mexico. She is a very well respected business woman and one of the classiest ladies i have had the pleasure to meet.

Alex Lopez Negrete/ Lopez Negrete Communications : a childhood friend that started his Hispanic marketing agency in 1985 and is now one of the country’s most influential marketing consulting firms.

Steve Jobs/ Apple: he is amazing!

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Any time, any where, I am there and on time!

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
It is very stressful to start your own business venture: I have sacrificed much needed sleep and “down time” with family and friends.

What is your favorite quote?
“Every brand has at its core a substance that gives it strength. You have to understand it before you can grow it.” Scott bedbury

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
If I were any different people wouldn’t recognize me.

Biggest mistake made?
Not starting my company a few years earlier.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I do. I am creative and i have introduced change within my business scope.

Licenzing llc, my brand building agency, is unique in that we offer not only the traditional pr and marketing services of an ad agency, but also brand licensing support.
The palomita™ and chucho™ hispanic fashion brands i developed and launched are using creative elements of our hispanic culture’s “branded” nostalgia.
I established the palomita™ education fund to support and encourage future generations of latinos to become innovators!!

About the Company
Headquartered in suburban San Francisco, LicenZing LLC, has quickly and quietly become THE boutique shop for lifestyle brand building through PR, marketing and licensing. LicenZing works with a select range of clients in areas such as fashion, fitness, innovative design and technology in consumer goods. The company provides a range of brand building services from strategic planning, creative services, media buying, merchandising and licensing.

Most recently its founder launched two apparel lines into the market: Palomita™ and Chucho™. “Esta marca es para ti” This brand is for you, is the tagline for these brands, focusing on Latino male and female consumers. Robbins has secured exclusive rights to use trademarks and vintage art from an array of Latino companies. The Chucho™ and Palomita™ brands incorporate these colorful graphics providing a platform for individual style. Robbins has also established an education foundation the Palomita Education Fund to empower Latinos by supporting their educational advancement. The Foundation receives funds through the sale of the branded Palomita™ and Chucho™ tops as well as through its annual Piensa Mas Alla charity event.

Zameer Upadhya > www.babyspot.com

Zameer Upadhya, CEO & Co-Founder, BabySpot, Inc.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
An entrepreneur needs “Ganas”. He or she needs that deep, down fire and passion to pursue their dreams with full vigor.

What did inspire you to start your business?
A very good friend of mine, James Rivera, had his first son, Danny, two and a half years ago. He kept sending me picture after picture of his son for over two months. Danny, is adorable, but one day I was joking around with James and told him that with the 5,000 pictures he had sent me of his son, he could buy a website, call it http://www.babyspot.com/, and put his son on it. The next day James called me and told me he bought the domain name. Turns out that James and his wife, Monica, did not feel comfortable putting their son's picture on MySpace or Facebook as they did not consider these sites to be safe and secure. We created a site for Danny and the next thing we knew we received many requests from other parents who shared similar concerns. Thus, James and I, started a social networking site for new parents and it’s been a dream ride ever since

How did you finance it?
Thus far our company has been financed internally. We received an initial infusion of seed money from James' parents and everything else has been on us. We took a major risk, but because we believed in what we were doing, it was well worth it.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
My background is very diverse. Sharing heritage from Spain, Cuba, India, Kenya, Tanzania, and Saudi Arabia I value many culture and moral values. Each of these cultures places a strong emphasis on family. Family is the most important thing in this world to me. With it you are everything, without it you are nothing. In business, we operate as a family. My business partner, our members, and our advertisers are all treated as family. Placing them in this regard pushes us to give them all the best service - the type of service we would give our own family. This is a Hispanic value and one that helps separate us from the rest.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of the death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Life is a journey - it has many peaks and many valleys. The road is guaranteed to be bumpy. I think that every successful entrepreneur has to have faith in something, whether it’s God, the universe, or whatever - they must have faith that things work out as they should. This faith when combined with passion is what drives me to keep climbing the mountain. Remember the old saying: “If the mountain was smooth, you could never climb it.”

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Our biggest challenge has been establishing our brand with limited resources. Since we are self-funded we have not been able to engage all of the PR and Marketing efforts that we would like to. We take this as a challenge and push ourselves to think of innovative ways to reach the market.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
Truthfully I wouldn't change one thing. The journey has been tough, challenging, fun, rewarding, and a blessing. I can't see myself doing anything else.

What was your childhood ambition?
To play baseball for the Chicago Cubs or to own the team.
Mi ambición de niño era jugar pelota para los Chicago Cubs o ser dueño de este equipo de pelota.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Richard Branson - One of the most innovative entrepreneurs ever. His willingness to think beyond the box and do things that most people would not is encouraging for all entrepreneurs.

Steve Jobs - Possibly one of the greatest marketing entrepreneurs of our time. He has built a loyal brand that always reinvents itself. Amazing

Ahmed Mohamedali - My grandfather passed away in 2003. His whole life was spent on the entrepreneurial journey. He had many ups and downs, but at his funeral was remembered by hundreds for his kindness and willingness to go the extra mile for all.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
None. I prefer to save meals for personal time - breakfast, lunch, and dinner for personal time.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Whenever you pursue a dream you do have to make many sacrifices. I have lived on planes and out of suitcases for the last few years and taken on debt to reach a goal of imminent success. It’s been tough to balance a social life with a personal drive for success. Initially I probably sacrificed too much, but over time learned to balance it all as best as possible.

What is your favorite quote?
"Within every difficulty lies opportunity." - Albert Einstein

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
No. It is only difficult if you don't have faith in your beliefs and convictions. I heard once if you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything. Going against the norm is only difficult if you don't believe deep within your heart that what you are striving for, what you are trying to accomplish, is worth it. If it is, then being unconventional is as normal as breathing.

Biggest mistake made?
By no means am I perfect, however, I don't regret any decisions that I have made. Mistakes are but opportunities to learn and grow. Every step that I have taken has brought me closer to my next goal. I have stumbled, fallen, and gotten back up through every mistake that I have encountered.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes. I think every successful entrepreneur is an innovator. They have to be in order to succeed. Often they have to come up with innovative solutions when there is no clear answer.

About the Company

www.BabySpot.com and http://www.babyspotlatino.com/ are free, safe, and secure social networking and informational sites for new parents to share pictures, videos, and parenting tips in a community specific to their needs. They were established in 2006 in response to James and Monica Rivera's desire to share their son, Danny's, pictures with family members online in a safe and secure manner.

Ray Hernandez > www.MyBabyOurBaby.com

Ray Hernandez, Founder and CEO

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
You need to be able to finish things on your own. There will always be people saying they're willing to help, but if you can't make things happen on your own. It's going to be hard to get your business rolling.

What did inspire you to start your business?
All of my friends were starting to have children. Since I was the "web designer guy" I kept getting asked to design and build websites for their kids. Instead of doing it one at a time, I decided to build a system where parents everywhere could have a free website for their kids.

How did you finance it?
With all the change I found in my couch. Which wasn't much.

Being Hispanic?Does it have any influence on your business?

Yes it does. Hispanics tend to be very family oriented, and my business is all about bringing family and friends together.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
My family is always my inspiration. I want to make a better life for them, so I always push forward.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Finding resources to grow. It takes a lot of time, money, and code to keep a site like this alive and growing.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I would have looked at venture financing, from the beginning. When you're financed you can focus on the goal.

What was your childhood ambition?
I was going to either be a major league baseball player or a famous artist in New York City.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Mark Cuban - He's living the dream. He built a site that he knew could work. A major company saw the potential, bought the company. And now he has a wiffle ball field in his living room, as well as be the owner of the Dallas Mavericks. What could be better?

Kevin Rose - Founder of Digg - He has created a career on ideas. He sees what's going on on the net, and what needs to be fixed. From there he turns his ideas into web applications that we all use today.

Matt Mullenweg - Founding Developer of Wordpress - Open source guru. He's built one of the largest blogging platforms, that my business uses as it's backbone. Thanks Matt.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Dinner for me. I know meetings with me turn into brainstorming, so they tend to go long. I'm a night owl.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Financing my own company, meant not spending any time with my friends and family. I had to put my head down and just focus on my goal, which was launching www.MyBabyOurBaby.com

What is your favorite quote?
"There's no time like the present"

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
I've always been unconventional. I've started little companies since I was a little kid. I always knew I'd only be happy if I was working for myself.

Biggest mistake made?
Not sure, but there is plenty of time to compile a list of my mistakes. You gotta make mistakes to figure out what needs to be done better.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I would. I'm always trying to figure out how to fix the problem. There always has to be a way to fix things. All you have to do is make something to fix it.

About the Company

My Baby Our Baby
Plenty of other sites allow parents to create online scrapbooks and keepsake photo albums, but no other site makes it easier for busy parents to collect and organize memories from invited family members and friends.

In today's world, almost everyone has images gathering dust on their hard drives. Instead of devoting hours to tracking all these images and memories down on your own, let us help you with the legwork. You'll end up with tons of memories you didn't even know you had and a whole lot more time for creating new ones.

Contact the Company here:http://www.mybabyourbaby.com

Anthony Aldaño > www.theamarugroup.com

Anthony Aldaño Co-Founder The Amaru Group

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
You need to have a burning desire and passion to do whatever it is that is in your heart.

What inspired you to start your business?
My first company (LatinosStep.com) evolved organically as I was coordinating College Step Shows as a hobby. During my second New York City show I looked out over the amphitheatre at the 1,000 attendees and realized I had stumbled upon something. After working for myself for so long and having an entrepreneurial spirit I want to continue creating unique media properties under my own direction. The Amaru Group is an extension of what I have been doing since 1999, creating media & event properties that reach the New Generation Latino market.

How did you finance it?
LatinosStep.com was financed on credit cards and my Partner Jesus Diaz's dad (for our Miami show.) We produced national college Step Shows for the Latino college market, we usually broke-even with ticket sales. Within three years of launching LatinosStep we were acquired by LatCom Communications, in an equity buy-out. In 2006, LatCom was acquired by Batanga.com a Latino music portal. My latest company The Amaru Group is being financed with our own working capital.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Being Latino has everything to do with my business. All my relative business success is due to my cultura. All my business models have revolved around the Latino culture and demographic, how to reach them, understand them, market to them and create event properties that cater for them. All of this is relatively easy to do when you are marketing to yourself.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
It's important to surround yourself with a solid, smart and hardworking team of people you can trust. Although this isn't easy to find it is always the goal. With these things in place you are better equipped to handle any adversity that comes your way. Knowing that provides the drive to keep going and follow your heart.

What was your childhood ambition?
My childhood ambition was to be a chemist. Then in High School I realized how numbers & formula driven it is, I crossed chemistry off my list.

Tell us about an entrepreneur that you admire?
There are so many I admire Robert Johnson (BET) created the first African-American cable network when no one believed it would succeed, Russel Simmons (Def Jam) pioneered the billion dollar hip-hop industry through managing one of the first commercially successful Rap groups RUN-D-MC and starting a clothing line.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
None of the above, I prefer to get straight to business rather than clutter a meeting with a noisy restaurant or little table space.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
The money isn't always immediately there as an entrepreneur, but if you're good at what you do then there are some potential big payouts along the way.

What is your favorite quote?
"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great". - Mark Twain

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I consider myself someone who has followed their heart and has made sound business decisions.

About The Amaru Group:
The Amaru Group has over 30 years of combined experience in launching and managing, media and event properties catered to the Latino College markets. We have developed an expertise in creating unique solutions for thisdemographic.

Find out more about us by visiting www.TheAmaruGroup.com

George Burciaga > www.smarTECHS.net

George Burciaga Chief Executive Officer of smarTECHS.net

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
You need a great idea as well as the focus and passion to turn that idea into reality. You have to be ready to risk everything to win it all.

What did inspire you to start your business?
Necessity. I was raised in an environment where I needed to succeed in order to survive.

How did you finance it?
I financed my business through hard work or what I like to call “sweat equity.” I worked many nights with little to no sleep. I have worked for every penny that I have ever made.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Yes, I grew up in a culture where working hard with a strong commitment to family and community was very important. It’s where I get my work ethic.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
Adversity is part of my everyday business routine. I have no choice but to overcome adversity. I have a lot people who depend on me: my family, my staff, my clients and my community. I have made a commitment to them that I will succeed and that my support will help them succeed too.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
After Y2K came and went, so did my business. In order to survive in the marketplace, I had to completely change my company’s business model. I had to reinvent and re-brand my business, converting it into a full service IT firm in order to continue to grow.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I would have started my business sooner. As they say, hindsight is always 20/20, so I wish I possessed the business acumen I have today. I wish I could tell that 22-year-old kid all the things I know now.

What was your childhood ambition?
I wanted to have the power to change the way people live for the better.

Tell us about an entrepreneur that you admire?
Oprah. She’s built an incredible brand and has actually changed the way people think. It’s amazing the way great entrepreneurs can actually change the way people behave.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Lunch.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I had to completely remove myself from the equation in order to succeed. I had to sacrifice a lot and give up some my personal desires like getting sleep and buying things that I wanted. I had to work harder and work smarter than everyone else.

What is your favorite quote?
If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know when you will get there?

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
No. I have always been outside of box. I have never been inside it. In fact, I don’t even know what the inside of the box looks like.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes. I think to be an innovator you have to be the first one to do something new, without worrying about success or failure. True innovation takes a willingness to risk it all. I have never been afraid to risk everything in order to win big. If I know what I want to do and it makes sense to me, I believe I will succeed and I take that risk. I have always liked to do things that other people won’t do.

About smarTECHS.net
smarTECHS.net is a Chicago-based IT firm that provides full-service, innovative technology solutions for national and local clients in both the private and public sectors. By building strategic partnerships with global corporations such as Microsoft and Dell, smarTECHS.net offers tailored IT solutions that specifically align with the mission and goals of each client. Recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in the country, smarTECHS.net is a privately held company with a strong commitment to community service and development. For more information, please visit www.smartechs.net.

Annette E. Alvarez > www.tostobueno.com

Annette E Alvarez Owner of Tostobueno LLC and Multi-Ethnic Talent & Promotion, Inc.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
My first reaction was to write about the need for vision and a 100% devotion to that vision but found that that answer was too simplistic, so I hit delete. I asked my friends for their thoughts. They also talked about vision. So I guess vision wins in everyday conversation, but truth be told I don’t think that’s the magic entrepreneurial ingredient. Lots of people with vision are still punching a clock. What am I missing? I turned to Webster. The dictionary. Entrepreneurs “assume the risk of a business.” Hmmmmm . . . we are risk takers. Got it! Fearlessness! To be an entrepreneur you can’t be afraid. That sounds about right!

What did inspire you to start your business?
Need.

How did you finance it?
I own two businesses, with two sets of partners.

A) Multi-Ethnic Talent & Promotion, Inc. manages ethnic actors. As a home business, we were able to keep costs down. Not long after we started in 1992, our first client was hired by MTV as the face of their newly launched MTV Asia network. I remember our first commercial—AT&T; it paid very well. That same actor went on to be one of the first faces of Viagra. Very funny. The Sopranos was good to us. As well as all The Law & Orders. Our actors are now all in Los Angeles, and one just booked a pilot. Let’s hope it gets picked up.

Still, I needed to work for the first five years of our business and I did, as an overnight news editor at WNBC. So if you count, it was 18 hours days.

B) Tostobueno®, LLC designs and distributes high-end, ethnic kitchenware. Our signature product is an eco-friendly, bamboo tostonera. It takes a village to raise a child. In this day and age, it also takes one to get a business going. We
have a wonderful village of family and friends who have surrounded themselves around us, giving of their time and money. So to answer the question we self-financed except for $20,000.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
The immigrant work ethic. Yes, I work 7 days a week and I am on the computer dealing with both coasts until, basically, my head can’t take it anymore. (Read below) But – here is the big BUT, what I do is because my parents gave me the best education that money could buy. I went all the way to the University of Miami School of Law. There I met my Multi-Ethnic partner, Joan C. Silverman. I studied Broadcasting at Miami-Dade Community College, North Campus. Burt Delgado, the BEST TV professor EVER. He is still there. I worked at WNBC; that is were I met my Tostobueno® partner, Don Williams, the station’s reporter/anchor. My parents were factory workers. What I do is fun. Now, let’s not confuse fun with easy. At Multi-Ethnic my job is to convince people “in power positions” that my actors should be given the opportunity to auditioned for a role that in their minds they see a caucasian actor playing. With Tostobueno® my job is to convince people “in power positions” that America is ready for high-end, ethnic kitchenware, specifically our signature product an eco-friendly dual tostones and rellenos tostonera. My parents worked the same amount of time. SEWING! Their fun, the radio-novelas and the dream of one day having their on place.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
You just “do” with great faith that it will all work out. And it usually does.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Business Challenge:For Multi-Ethnic: keeping afloat after 9/11. For Tostobueno®: educating businesses that Hispanics as well as non-Hispanics will spend money for quality and up-scale ethnic cookware.
Personal Challenge:In 2000, I was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor. I must tell you, it hasn’t been a fun ride, but with the help of family and friends we were all able to keep it going.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
Change happens, with or without me.

What was your childhood ambition?
To be a teacher.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
When I was younger I read all the business books, etc. However, at the end of my day it's my parents who I admire most - they were my Wharton. And from what I just found out, my mother as a kid loved to work at her dad's "bodega" in Cuba. My father -- when he wasn't at the factory, he was selling jewelry or electronics. I'm a first generation Cuban-American. My parents came to this country in the early 50s, and shortly after I was born in '58, the goal was set: to move from Brooklyn to Miami and open a factory. And they did. Basically, they taught me the value of effort and hardwork.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Honestly, I prefer meetings where there is no food. Coffee, si! Meetings for me are all about going in and getting out. Now, for networking I prefer lunch. And when we want them to try, my partner's Don--aka Chef DonClark-- tostones rellenos-with sweet and savory toppings-- and plantain muffins and well, the best Café Espresso EVER . . . it's home for dinner. Don was awarded a design patent on June 27th 2006 after spending three years perfecting the Tostobueno ® design.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I don’t know, really. I've modeled my life to accommodate my love of business.

What is your favorite quote?
Luck is the residue of design.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
I find this to be the question that most resonated in me. I’ve always, always been unconventional, and I guess I still am and probably always will be. I didn’t realize it, until, well, I read this question that being unconventional is a good business trait. I remember being yelled at by my 5th grade teacher for having done something the complete opposite of everyone else in the class. That’s when I realized I was a bit . . . different. And 40 some odd years later, nothing’s changed. The upside—I’m not phased by much and can continue any pursuit without fear. Wow. . . Who would have thought?

Biggest mistake made?
Not buying a Blackberry sooner.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I can’t answer this question without bringing in ALL my partners. And even then it is not to say we are innovadors but visionaries. Both Multi-Ethnic and Tostobueno® are chipping away at an archaic business model. . . one that doesn’t include the financial power of ethnic America, with Hispanics representing $1 trillion in spending power by 2010, according to Jose Cancela, founder of the marketing and research firm Hispanic USA Inc.

Joan and I started Multi-Ethnic in 1992. It wasn’t until seven years later that what we knew was actually said out loud by the likes of Ricky Martin and then NAACP President Kweisi Mfume. Yes, a very unlikely duo. Ricky’s groundbreaking “Cup of Life” Grammy performance showed EVERYONE that Hispanics were here and, well, HOT and not going anywhere. Mr. Mfume also in 1999 took TV execs to task for what he called the whitewash of TV.

Don, Ainsley C. Williams and I started Tostobueno® a few years ago. . . well, let me leave you with this. Just look at the Food Network. Does it reflect even a little bit the Hispanic population of this country?

Visionaries. Yup . . . that’s what we are.

About the Companies

Multi-Ethnic Talent & Promotion, Inc. manages ethnic actors.

Tostobueno®, LLC designs and distributes high-end ethnic kitchenware. Our signature product is Tostobueno, The Ultimate Tostonera® an eco-friendly, bamboo tostonera that can make up to six toston chips "tostones" or toston cups "tostones rellenos" with one smash.

Contact Annette at http://www.tostobueno.com/

Daniela Rodriguez > www.riverplatefulfillment.com

Daniela Rodriguez, Owner, River Plate Fulfillment

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Believe in your self,always a positive attitude,discipline, honesty.

What did inspire you to start your business?
My business started by accident, from a necessity when my husband had a very bad car accident and I had to put food on the table for my kids.

How did you finance it?
I finance it with quarters and dimes that were saved in my piggy bank.

Being Hispanic? Does it have any influence on your business?
It's great to be Hispanic, you have the best of both worlds, many times we run in to people in warehouses that do not speak much English, is great to be able to speak the Spanish language in order to do business, also our employees that the majorities are Spanish is the strongest access to the company.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
I always see the glass half full, never half empty, and in life nothing comes easy if you want to be successful, I believe you never have to step back, always forward, and that other than death, there is always a solution for everything if is with in you. Like my good right hand and friendSandra my employee said, it is what it is, and we take a day at a time. I focus on the positive never the negative.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
The fire on October 21, 2007 I saw my 15 yrs of hard work burned down to ashes. All of my dreams had fallen apart, all of my employees without a job. My biggest challenge was how was I am going to get all that back, and was like the whole world colapse on me on that day.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
Nothing, I would not change a thing, if anything I would add more services that would enhance it according to my customers needs.

What was your childhood ambition?
To be a pilot

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Donald Trump, Fernando Lamp, and Mitzie

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Lunch

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I had to sacrifice family time, I had to cut on all my personal expenses, meaning not taking a vacation for 10 years, no eating out, sleeping time. I was lucky if I got to sleep 5 hours a day. Not seeing much of my friends. I became a workaholic.

What is your favorite quote?
If there is a will, there is a way. In Spanish (Querer es poder)

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
No it's not

Biggest mistake made?
The biggest mistake I ever made was not having enough insurance. We can never be insured enough, and for that you have to do your homework. Know the value of the merchandise the company is keeping in inventory for customers, know the value of your own machinery, and even when our insurance agent, is letting us know what covers and you seamed to be happy with it, please read it yourself and ask questions. It's too late after the facts. Ask for a second opinion if you are not sure of the policy you have in your hands.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
No, I don't consider myself an innovator, I consider myself a person with a very strong inner strength.

Riverplateinc.com does fulfillment for all types of industries, trucking nation wide, warehousing and distribution.

Dr. Alejandro Badia > www.drbadia.com

Dr. Alejandro Badia, Entrepreneurial Surgeon, Surgeon of the Hand and Upper Extremity Badia Hand to Shoulder Center Chief of Hand Surgery, Baptist Hospital of Miami Co-founder, Da Vinci Learning Center

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Vision. One must know clearly what the goals are and accept that some significant level of risk is involved in order to achieve them. In the medical field, service is a key component and you must fulfill the three A’s criteria: Be affable, admirable, and accessible.

What did inspire you to start your business?
I had co-founded an extremely successful surgical practice…so successful, that we soon found that we needed more surgeons in order to cover our community needs for our subspecialty to better serve our patients. The problem was that the busier we got, the less time I was able to spend with my patients and the more difficult it was to ensure that each person received the special attention they deserved, particularly the patients who traveled from abroad to see me for a particular hand and upper limb problem. I soon realized that I needed to downsize my practice but improve the service and infrastructure to deliver that care. Badia Hand to Shoulder Center is designed with this at the forefront.

How did you finance it?
I purchased the real estate shell with my local bank, who knew my practice and income potential, and then I financed the build out of the office and therapy center myself. I wanted to minimize my debt burden. I then partnered with a national ambulatory surgery center company who understood the construction and startup needs for a surgical facility better than I could on my own. This created efficiency and an expeditious process.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Being Hispanic played a major role on WHERE I decided to practice and the type of patient pool I could best serve. While I was solely educated in the US, and obtained an Ivy League degree, I was sure to maintain my Latino roots and cultivate these idiosyncrasies. This allowed me to better bond with patients whose primary language is Spanish, whom often travel to see me from Latin America. Practicing in Miami allowed me to provide US level medical care, with the technology and expertise that entails, while making my international patients feel they were still immersed in their home culture.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
Adversity is a matter of perception. One must know and accept that not everything can go exactly according to plan. It is like performing surgery: the best surgeons know how to work around a sudden alteration in the pathology or anatomy. Managing complications is part of the “art of medicine”.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Developing a new surgical practice and center requires depending on many different people, particularly bureaucrats and construction subcontracting firms. Keeping everything on track and focused has been a huge challenge.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
As a physician caught up in a complex medical system, I wish that I could deal only with the patient, much like any other business, where there is simply the customer and the provider. I particularly enjoy serving international patients because I do not have to request “authorization” from an insurance company low level employee who usually knows little about the pathology in question; let alone the best treatment options. It is pure medicine.

What was your childhood ambition?
I always wanted to be a physician. Furthermore I was quite convinced that I would become a surgeon and often performed dissections on fish or frogs in front of my 6th grade class, much to the delight of my teacher who shared my enthusiasm for biology. At eight years of age, I accompanied my grandmother to see a famous hand surgeon at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in NYC due to her crippling rheumatoid arthritis. That moment stayed with me… In fact, that surgeon trained the surgeon who would later train me in Pittsburgh, decades later.

In middle school, I read the book “The Making of a Surgeon” and later reread it noting that the author was a product of Cornell too…

Lastly, there is a great tradition of physicians in my family in Cuba and I only recently discovered that I was a descendant of the founder of the Cuban Academy of Sciences.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Craig Venter – founder of Celera Genomics. He took his scientific skills to create a company that would beat the NIH in sequencing the human genome. He illustrates the power of free enterprise over government: even in science.

Bill Gates (of course) – His story is epic, but most importantly, he has taken this money and wisely invested it in solving some of mankind’s issues. While widely criticized for his lack of early giving, he proved that one must also be strategic and patient in making philanthropic decisions.

Mohammed Yunus – The innovator of micro-credit. His type of entrepreneurship has positively affected the lives of millions of people and indirectly helped them lift themselves out of poverty. It is fortunate that this was aptly recognized via a Nobel peace prize.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Dinner only. Late. I work too early for normal breakfasts, and surgeons rarely eat a real lunch!

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
The “sacrifices” are huge, but then again, I do not really consider them sacrifices. I love what I do, but it certainly can intrude on my personal life in many ways. I married late in life and just started building a family. Regardless, I would not have done it any other way…

What is your favorite quote?
A NY surgery professor once told me, “Surgeons don’t work hard; they work a lot. Ditch diggers work hard!”

I often try to think of that when in the operating room, frustrated, in the wee hours of the morning….

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
“Conventional” is a matter of semantics. The truth is that conventional implies one does the same as the vast majority. Since success implies that one differentiates themselves in a positive way from the status quo, you MUST be unconventional to reach new heights. This does not mean mistakes are not made.

Biggest mistake made?
I had an opportunity to join a swim team at an early age, apparently due to some innate talent that was recognized. I did not pursue it and picked up the sport at a much later date when it was likely too late to reach my potential. I often wonder what athletic heights I might have achieved. Watching Pablo Morales, a fellow Cuban-American and Cornelian, win gold medals in the butterfly, also my stroke, rekindled that feeling. My passion for these individual sports led me to personally attend the last 4 Olympic games as an enthusiastic spectator!

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why
I believe I am an innovator as I have managed to combine the pursuit of scientific and clinical excellence, with a desire to educate the public on common maladies in my little known surgical specialty. These goals require two different mindsets. My future goal is for the general public to understand ubiquitous clinical problems within the hand and upper limb, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or shoulder bursitis (impingement syndrome). Educating the public, while furthering our scientific understanding of these issues involves two varied, but equally important, skill sets.

Contact Dr. Alejandro Badia at www.drbadia.com

Mayra Castillo and Xochitl Gonzalez > www.alwaysabridesmaid.us

Mayra Castillo and Xochitl Gonzalez Founders Always A Bridesmaid

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
First, we believe you have to have a strong vision of what you want and secondly, a desire to really do what you want, without fear of failure or too much concern with immediate sacrifice. It's the road less traveled for a reason!

What did inspire you to start your business?
Truthfully, a bad boss! We had jobs that we loved, in function, planning corporate events. But the office climate took the joy out of work. We wanted to create a company where there was room to enjoy the kind of work we do- which is basically to create celebrations for people.

How did you finance it?
Poorly! In the beginning, it was financed with our last commission checks from our day job! It wasn't much. We used credit financing for the first year until we could qualify for bank loans and just tried to be really strategic with our dollars. We spent a ton of time and energy pursuing publicity for the business.

Being Hispanic ...Does it have any influence on your business?
We have an impossibly strong work ethic, which for us, feels cultural.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
We don't want "real" jobs.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Always financing. Like a lot women-owned businesses, we face problems with financing particularly during stages of growth.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I think we both wish it wasn't so tied to us, personally. We'd like to create more distance between our personalities and the service we offer.

What was your childhood ambition?
Mayra: I wanted to be an agricultural engineer.

Xochitl: I wanted to be a talk show host.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Andrea MacDonald. She owns an outdoor media company called MacDonald Media and was a client of ours. She taught us so much about enjoying life and work.
Two more famous names would be Martha Stewart and Coco Chanel.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Dinner meetings. We need to be able to have people relaxed with us.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Everything. We really spent time away from family, friends and money while we invested our love and time in this business.

What is your favorite quote?
"In order to be Irreplaceable, one must always be different"- Coco Chanel

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
No, that isn't difficult. Either you are or you aren't. I think it's in your nature.

Biggest mistake made?
Undervaluing our services and promising perfection. We now sell expertise and problem solving skills, not fantasy.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes. We've never believed that the success of the wedding is about just the day. It's about the process. We've designed all of our services to enhance the enjoyment of getting married, not just the few hours that the reception is going on.

Always A Bridesmaid was founded in 2003 by Xochitl Gonzalez and Mayra Castillo after these two former corporate event planners were tapped endlessly by friends and friends of friends for event tips and wedding planning help. They have since become one of the city's most sought after planners, and the "Go-To" company for couples planning events in unique or untraditional venues such as lofts, tents, or historic venues.

Contact Mayra and Xochitl at www.alwaysabridesmaid.us

Ana L. Nogales Ph.D. > www.drnogales.com

Ana L. Nogales Ph.D Founder of Nogales Psychological Counseling, Inc and www.casadelafamilia.org

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
You need alot of perseverance and love of life. When everything seems to be impossible, you have to look for the open door and find the formula so that you can overcome and pursue your goal.

What did inspire you to start your business?
My father: He would always say the the intelligent persons were the ones who used their heads, and you could accomplish so much more when you labored less and thought more.

How did you finance it?
No one financed my dream/ambition, I worked hard and grew my practice a little at a time.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
I don't think I would have been able to grow and love my job if it wasn't for the fact that I am Latina and have always worked with the Latino community.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
After, my stomach goes into knots, I use that same energy to think how am I going to keep looking ahead. It has cost me many sleepless nights, but I try and get to sleep, as I know that I think better when I am well rested. Many times I try to leave the City and to find an escape and get close to nature. Upon my return I see things differently and I can focus on my own thoughts more clearly. To have a great support staff is fundamental, because I know who I can count on, who is loyal , and who thinks with me. I ask for opinions from those that I trust, but I take my time to evaluate and consider them to decipher what is the best one to take to fruition.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Those that are envious, as they can be very destructive, but sometimes they present themselves with a smiling face.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I have many things to change. Looking back, I wish I would have had personal financial planner to guide me on how to make investments.

What was your childhood ambition?
I wanted to help people, and this is what I do within my possibilities.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
I admire my brother, who knows how to do things at the right moment, he calculates conservatively, but efficiently.

My daughter and her husband, although young, have programmed their lives in a financially responsible manner.

I also admire Nora de los Hoyos Comstock, who is the founder of Las Comadres de las Americas, whose vision was to connect Latinas via the Internet. Her vision has connected over 12,000 Latinas from all over the United States.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
For me breakfast is the best time, that's when I have the best energy. Breakfast is the begining of the day and so people will think throughout the day. Dinner is a more intimate scene, and sometimes by the end of the day your so exhausted, you might not be receptive to any proposal.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
The most difficult thing for me was trying to maintain a balance between my work and my dedication to my family. It was a personal sacrifice, trying to to keep tabs on every detail, but I always kept my priorities in check. I have never received any complaints my family, on the contrary, only praise for my efforts.

What is your favorite quote?
I want to live a full life every single day, so if it were to be my last, I would leave having the satisfaction that I accomplished everything that I had to do in this life.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
It is very difficult to be non conventional. My Mother always told me that I was rebellious, although looking back, I really wasn't. It cost me constant criticism for trying to be me and living my life the way I wanted to. Now, more mature, it was not difficult to find others who were unconventional and share thoughts. Today, I still look for others who think out of the box and although a minority, it's always such a pleasure to find them. Of course, I get along with conventional people as well, as I have everything to gain and nothing to lose.

Biggest mistake made?
My most serious mistake: using credit cards..........and I'm still making this mistake...........

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I get enthusiastic and excited with things that I have never done before and I do it with so much passion, that I surprize myself. For example, I never thought I could write books on contemporary topics, and even less to to write a play, as I did recently....................and I continue to write both!

Dr. Nogales immigrated to the United States in 1979 and completed her doctorate degree in psychology at the United States International University, San Diego. She opened her private practice in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, supervising clinical programs for thirty professionals in mental health since 1982. She is a clinical psychologist and founder of Nogales Psychological Counseling, Inc. and Clinical Director of the nonprofit organization, Casa de la Familia, established for victims of crime, such as rape, sexual assault, child sexual and physical abuse, domestic violence and human trafficking.

Contact Dr. Nogales at www.drnogales.com and www.CasadelaFamilia.org

Greg Sanchez > www.siestatees.com

Greg Sanchez Owner

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
You need to have an IDEA! You don't need to reinvent the wheel, you can always modify it! You need PASSION, your heart and enthusiasm must be in it. If you don't believe in your idea, no one will. You need to take the RISK, this is the biggest challenge entrepreneurs face. Risk involves money, time, sacrifice and uncertainty.

What did inspire you to start your business?
I have always imagined being a small business owner, but always felt that it was never possible. One day I finally said I got to do this, I had an idea with my Siesta Tees concept, and ran with it. The rest is history!

How did you finance it?
I started Siesta Tees on literally a "shoestring budget". Through the Internet I was able to find affordable services to get my business off the ground. I design all the marketing materials to help keep the budget low.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Siesta Tees is a Hispanic/Latino themed brand. Our tees express the thoughts and beliefs Hispanics grew up with. So, yes being Hispanic is very influential, it gives our product authenticity.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
There are ups and downs of being a small business owner. When times are bad, you need to keep your head up and your heart in it. Keep that passion in it, those good days are right around the corner!

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Marketing and advertising has been the biggest challenge. Since, we have a "shoestring budget" we are constantly looking for the most cost effective way to operate the business.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I wish I would have started sooner, risk held me back!

What was your childhood ambition?
Creating and developing products have always been an interest of mine.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
None in particular. I think there is a lot to admire in people who act on their dreams!

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Lunch. You get for your money on lunch specials. I told you I work with a "shoestring budget"!

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Time away from family! That's the biggest sacrifice I make.

What is your favorite quote?
"The sign on the door of opportunity reads: PUSH"

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Sometimes being unconventional means making a new client!

Biggest mistake made?
Trying to do everything myself. As a owner you feel no one can put the fire and passion like you into your business. You need to be able to handle the tasks that you are good at and out source the others.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes, I'm starting my business and that's something I thought would never come true! Now I can say it's a dream come true!

Greg Sanchez is the proud owner of Siesta Tees,a new Latino themed clothing line. The on-line shop offers a variety of t-shirt styles, infant one piece, children’s t-shirts, mugs, caps, aprons and many more items stamped with their designs. Latino folklore, beliefs and “abuelas wise thoughts” were mixed together to create the unique designs and slogans. The designs were created to fill a void in the main stream Latino market, which has become a major force in the U.S. market.

Siesta Tees started with one funny design and now offers more than fifty designs and phrases such as, Stop the violence- hit a piñata, I love abuela, I think the chupacabra is under my bed and Don’t make me use my chancla, all in a variety of colors and sizes. Their on-line sales shop offers a 30-day return guarantee and a toll free customer service line. “We are in the process of taking our t-shirts from on-line to retail stores in the near future. We believe the demand is there, and that our slogan will stand true, Creating laughs one tee at a time.” explains Greg.

Hilda Orosco > www.greenstuffconnection.com

Hilda Orosco President and Owner

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Courage to continue! There are many times you will be challenged, feel like you cant work any harder, cant take any more bad news, cant deal with any more sleepless nights, don’t know how you will afford it. It takes courage to step out of paralyzing fear and beat your quitting thoughts down!

What did inspire you to start your business?
I have always worked very hard to be the best! I was always looking for the next promotion. Eventually I decide to work hard and promote myself to president of my own company.

How did you finance it?
Personal savings and some business loans.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Being Hispanic influences me to succeed. I believe my culture has many wonderful role models and I’d like to join the Hispanic role model club.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
Honestly there were many times when it has been difficult to continue…. My beautiful daughters and wonderful husband are my inspiration. I want to teach my daughters that if you truly want something you can achieve it!

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
The biggest challenge has been balancing motherhood with entrepreneurship.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
I would not like to change anything; I would LOVE to eventually add an actual retail location.

What was your childhood ambition?
I always dreamed of fighting my way out of poverty and a terrible neighborhood. I was determined to become a success at whatever I chose to do.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
I honestly don’t have a list of three entrepreneurs that I admire… I admire anyone who has turned their dream to reality! How many people do we all know that talk, talk, talk and never do! Entrepreneurs make it happen, and that is admirable!

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
I prefer lunch for business meetings. Breakfast is spent with my daughters and dinner is family time.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I had to leave the security of a full time job and guaranteed pay check.

What is your favorite quote?
“What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?” Made by an unknown Author

Hilda Orosco President/Owner

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Not at all… I am a leader and not a follower… In business there is no such thing as unconventional.

Biggest mistake made?
Choosing a low priced web site designer over a higher priced one. I had to completely redo my web site. It cost me much more than if I would have just spent the extra money on a reputable site designer in the first place.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I am definitely an innovator. I have done some research on what I should be doing to make my business a success. But for the most part it’s creativity, going with my instinct and just doing it! Innovation has led me to the place I am now.

To learn more about Hilda, visit http://www.greenstuffconnection.com/

Sara I. Loarte > www.cultivaentertainment.com

Sara I. Loarte Principal at Cultiva Entertainment

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
You need a strong desire to develop an idea and nurture it into existence.

What did inspire you to start your business?
The growth and significance of the Hispanic audience in the U.S.

How did you finance it?
Personal savings and a strategy of entering into consulting relationships that would help capitalize the company’s endeavors.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Absolutely. Being in the Hispanic Sports Marketing world it is essential for my company to be as culturally authentic to my clients as well as the consumers we serve. Therefore my Hispanic traditions and understandings of the culture really influence my company’s strategies.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
You look at the bigger picture, keep positive and stay focused on your goals.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Capitalization. The business opportunities are surmountable but if you do not have the proper resources to support it, your growth is much slower.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
Probably to highlight our accomplishments with the media and the industry a lot better.

What was your childhood ambition?
To meet Menudo.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Richard Carrion – Chairman, Banco Popular: He took his father’s dream and accomplishments and developed them into a modern, progressive business.

Diego Suarez, Sr., Chairman, V Suarez : He began a Distribution company from the bottom up and once he reached the top, he mentored all who were willing to listen.

Antonio Munoz Bermudez, Chairman, Munoz Bermudez Holding Co.: He started a development company that quickly grew into an industry leader and he has surrounded his business with family and friends.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Dinner- it gives you more time to set up the deal.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
I had to travel extensively at times which took me away from my precious family.

What is your favorite quote?
If you put your trust in God, He will fight your battles for you.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
No, following Hispanic trends and traditions tend to be interpreted as “unconventional” by the general market.

Biggest mistake made?
Relying on an external party to get your message across.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes, I consider myself an innovator because my company has successfully introduced new ways to reach the Hispanic audience in a very targeted way.

Sara I. Loarte is a principal of the Hispanic sports marketing firm, Cultiva Entertainment that specializes in developing multi-media platforms to reach the U.S. Hispanic audience. Cultiva is experienced in the areas of brand introduction, content development, grass roots outreach, live event production, licensing management and media syndication. Among its marquee sports client list is Major League Baseball’s World Baseball Classic tournament. Cultiva’s Hispanic engagement program for the World Baseball Classic resulted in sell-out crowds to all games featuring Latin teams, record-selling licensed merchandise and double the television ratings among Hispanic households on ESPN Network. Loarte currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy & High School and has been instrumental in developing a Hispanic youth center in New York City that promotes the Arts. Born in Puerto Rico, Loarte attended Bernard M. Baruch College and currently resides in New York with her husband Anthony and daughter Aerin.

To learn more about Sara, visit http://www.cultivaentertainment.com

Antonio Argibay > www.meridiandesign.com

Antonio Argibay AIA, Principal, Meridian Design

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
You need the four “D’s” — a dream, the daring, the determination and the dedication. Mastering these four qualities and keeping them in proportion are essential to a successful business.

What did inspire you to start your business?
While in college I met my now business partner Bice Wilson. We were both active in school government and had a deep commitment to the affairs of the world. After having experienced our first paying jobs, we decided that we wanted to run our own firm. That decision was based on a desire to have better control of the design process and, most importantly, to provide a creative and exciting working environment that reflected our goals, both as employers and as architects.

How did you finance it?
We began by working independently as consulting architects for other firms, sub-contracting portions of projects and taking on small projects on our own. We worked in my partner’s loft space, a large, open factory space converted to a residence by his labor. We financed it with sweat and blood, as any new business has to.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
I have firsthand experience with the disadvantages that an immigrant faces in the business world. Many people confuse speaking with an accent with thinking with one. We here at Meridian Design have made it a central point in our business plan to hire the best talent available. We have one criterion: excellence. We have a diverse group of people, and being based in New York has helped us to turn diversity into a competitive advantage worldwide.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
One has to have faith and understand that there always will be adversity. Being an immigrant teaches you that there are always opportunities in America, but you have to be nimble and ready to act when the opportunities emerge. A business person has to understand the position of his enterprise within the overall economy, because there are established business cycles that dictate the ebb and flow of the larger economy. Many times, what seems like a difficult period is really an opportunity, and while adversity tries you, it is a great teacher that provides you with the strength and skills to survive. I remember soon after having survived Meridian Design’s first prolonged dry spell, I sat down to have a drink with a much older friend who said to me “Well, now you can call yourself a business man.”

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
In general, the biggest challenge for any business is controlling growth so that it’s healthy and consistent. You can’t let your ego or your timidity get ahead of you — you have to grow at a controlled and healthy rate. A faster growth can really weaken a business, and when the inevitable reversals of the economy happen, the business will be too weak to survive.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
First of all, I can change anything about Meridian Design, and we frequently do. It is important for a business leader to understand that. We do a lot of business planning and are constantly looking for that competitive edge. We also know change in business occurs in an evolutionary manner. You look for new markets while looking for growth in your existing market.

What was your childhood ambition?
I always wanted to be an architect, but I only learned that with hindsight. I had a talent for drawing, organizing, planning and visualizing. As I matured, I honed into skill sets. Architecture is the place where my skills and my dreams came together.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs whom you admire?
I have always admired “idea” people: inventors and discoverers. Thomas Edison was always a favorite. He not only invented many of the technologies that shaped the last 100 years, such as movies and recording, but he also invented the modern research and development laboratory. Not many recognize Christopher Columbus as an entrepreneur, yet I feel that is what he was. While it is true that he had miscalculated where he was, he had been sure he was within sailing distance due west from Europe, and proved it. In the process, he negotiated with monarchs to have the enterprise under his control and opened a New World. However, my absolute favorite is Benjamin Franklin. His influence on the world went well beyond his business acumen. As a writer, scientist, patriot, diplomat, humorist and thinker, he embodied all the qualities I admire about America. A great believer in education, he gave the best advice an entrepreneur can have: An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
All three are crucial, yet the most important is having a “cafecito”.

What sacrifices in your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Being successful in business is very much about staying ahead once you get ahead. That takes constant reinventing, planning and pushing. At times, it is difficult to know when you have stopped working that day or that night, so in a way, you sacrifice time with the family.

What is your favorite quote?
"The pessimist sees difficulties in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunities in every difficulty” - Sir Winston Churchill

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
It is my opinion that you should always be yourself and be comfortable with who you are. Thinking for yourself sometimes takes you to unconventional conclusions. A person has to trust his analysis and discard convention that is not based on facts. The Wright brothers were humble bicycle repairmen; they defied the convention of the time on what would fly and how, by analyzing and experimenting in unconventional ways.

Biggest mistake made?
I am very critical of myself, so the quantity and quality of my mistakes is truly impressive. On the other hand, without mistakes, there is no learning, so I’m fortunate to have had such a good education. However, if there was to be one mistake, I would say it was suppressing my spiritual side. To understand yourself, and to recognize that we are material and spirit, is to reach a consciousness from which happiness flows eternal. The longer one fails to see that, the less fulfilled he will be.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
When we began our practice many years ago, there were three areas in which architects were doing little or no work. Today, in part through our contributions to architecture and increased awareness, they are commonplace. Meridian was designing spaces for media and communications companies, a large portion of our clientele. We have been described as the “DNA” of the industry, as we have designed for new and changing technologies, as well as for new and changing business environments. Another is our goal of better design through the “humanization of space,” which has become an ever-growing reality as many companies adopt our gospel: the idea that spaces are designed for people. Finally, at the core of our firm is the emergence of sustainability as a form-giver in present day architecture. We founded our company, Meridian Design Associates, when the idea of conserving energy and the environment was revolutionary. Now it is a mainstream concept. This notion was extremely important to us, leading us to name our company “Meridian” (after the solar meridian) in preparation for all the solar energy and sustainability projects we would do. Today, the efforts to make our planet a better place through this consciousness are generally embraced.

Antonio Argibay, AIA, is a principal of Meridian Design, an award-winning architecture and design firm headquartered in New York City with offices in Miami and Geneva, Switzerland.

The company has designed broadcast and media facilities for major global corporations such as CNN, Telemundo, Lifetime, HBO, ABC, NBC and CBS. Their work for Lifetime was voted the “Best Workspace” in 2007 by Reader’s Digest in the “Design & Style” category. Argibay and his work have been featured in Broadcast Engineering, The New York Times, The New York Post, The New York Daily News, EFE News and other leading national and international trade and consumer publications. He received his Bachelor and Master’s degrees from Pratt Institute.

To learn more about Antonio and Meridian, visit www.meridiandesign.com

Addy Perez-Mau > www.heavensentjewelry.com

Addy Perez-Mau Founder / Designer Heaven Sent Jewelry

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
An entrepreneur requires VISION, COURAGE, and STAMINA. A vision derives from a dream, without courage one will never take a chance and stamina allows you to take steps each day towards turning your vision into reality. An entrepreneur is only as strong as their family.
An entrepreneur has to be mentally tough in dealing with many demands. There's no guidelines.... you are the leader, innovator and the implementer. Entrepreneurship forced me to learn fast on a tight budget.

What did inspire you to start your business?
My children and Oprah Winfrey inspired me to begin my business. After working in the Engineering and Technology field for over 9 years, I was laid off from an awesome job. Two subsequent employment opportunities would have left only an hour each day with my children.
Heaven Sent Jewelry was formed in order to save family ties.

How did you finance it?
I had a nest egg saved up that allowed me to set the foundation for my business. Thank God that both my parents taught me a strong work ethic and ability to budget and save my money. These traits have been so essential in running my business.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
My culture has influenced my business with my new jewelry line. When I married, I did not see any multi-cultural wedding cake toppers. So I added some wedding cake toppers that are Latinas and Latinos plus Quinceanera figurines. In addition, I also introduced my “Lilian wedding jewelry line” that was featured on BODAS USA La Revista . Some of my designs were worn with gowns by International Designer Mitzy during the BODAS Launch in January 2008. The jewelry has various romantic Spanish love themes on them adorned with Swarovski crystals and fresh water pearls. They have been very well accepted by Latina Brides.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
My faith has given me the strength, courage and patience in dealing with dark times. My ability to handle each challenge has resulted in countless blessings. As a result, many doors have opened, some which still seem surreal.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Time has been the biggest challenge for Heaven Sent Jewelry. Trying to run a home-based business while caring for two little ones and having a husband that travels extensively presents many challenges.
These challenges forced me to utilize technology in order to grow my business.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
At this point, there are so many opportunities that it is a major challenge to incorporate them all into my business plan.

What was your childhood ambition?
When I was a child, I worked in the fields harvesting crops at a very tender age of 5 in Central California. Having experienced this type of experience, I longed to have a nice house, nice clothes and a good job.
I never thought that I would have a Master’s degree or have my own business.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Maria de Lourdes Sobrino, Founder and CEO of Lulu's Dessert® Corporation, one of the largest and fastest growing Hispanic owned businesses in the United States. While attending the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Convention, I recall Maria serving on a panel and sharing her experience as an entrepreneur.

Maria was so down to earth and told everyone the reality of business. Her experience inspired me to continue my quest. In 2007, I was invited to speak with her about the “Secrets of Successful Women”. Upon our closing, she encouraged me to write a book about my life experiences.

Ruiz Food Products, Louis Ruiz, founder of a multimillion-dollar company, nearly 2,500 employees, and a place in the Small Business Administration's Hall of Fame.

When I was a college student, I had the opportunity of meeting Mr. Ruiz through my mentor, Carmen Navarro. I enjoyed listening to his entrepreneurship experience. I few years later I meet Fred Ruiz at a conference. It was encouraging to see how this family business started and where it is now!

Daniel Gutierrez, International Business Consultant, Author and Speaker. I have been very grateful that Daniel has always been so positive and extremely helpful during my business journey. He has been a great role model and has always encouraged me. This friendship is priceless. Daniel also invited me to be a guest on his upcoming radio show.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Lunches have worked out better for me due to my family’s schedule.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
The first 3 ½ years of starting my business were very exhausting. My business was established in 2003, when my little girl was 2 years old and my son was a year old. During this time, I would stay up until the early hours of the morning, work on the weekends and stay involved in the community in order to promote my business.

Although, the business demands were brutal, I did not give up on my dream. I fought so hard to make my dream a reality.

What is your favorite quote?
Steven Covey “Begin with the End in Mind”

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Being unconventional can be a way of branding your business. This is what sets you apart from others as you create your path for success by creating your niche within a target market.

Biggest mistake made?
My biggest mistake was not knowing what I was getting myself into. I learned from day to day. If I knew now all the challenges and difficulties that lay ahead it would have taken a lot of motivation to begin my business. Sometimes experience and learning on your own is the best way to reach your goals and realize your dreams.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why
Absolutely, I took control of my business and branded my business nationally by being unique. I designed Swarovski book marks for authors. This idea saved my business and it attracted high profile clients.

Now in my 5th year of business, my business savvy has received national exposure, numerous awards and recognition from businesses and the community. My strong strategic partnerships have resulted in Win-Win situations. My ability to utilize technology and create a buzz for Heaven Sent Jewelry has demonstrated the power of the entrepreneurial spirit.

I also work as a consultant with a Women’s business center assisting other entrepreneurs with their businesses. Currently, I am planning to write a book about entrepreneurship.

Contact Addy at www.heavensentjewelry.com
Addy Perez-Mau
Founder/Designer
Heaven Sent Jewelry
"SBA Champion" , "Emerging Latina" , "Business of the Year"